Mastermind's Revenge
by WildHorseFantasy
Summary: AU and sequel to Jedi Blood Bonds. Featuring our full cast of characters. Anakin Skywalker's help has been invaluable to the Alliance, since he turned his back on his title, Darth Vader. But there are those on both sides who aren't happy about it. And proving his intel is true could bring him face to face with a powerful Force user and a mastermind who will do anything to stop him!
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from Star Wars. It's owned by Lucasfilm and now Disney. I just play in their universe. :)**_

**Part of the AU series including: Heroes Homecoming, Healing Nightmares, Tatooine Quest, etc.**

**Featuring Anakin Skywalker (after his return from the Dark side as Vader) and Obi-Wan, who survived their Death Star duel.**

* * *

Obi-Wan found Anakin on the top level of the Yavin 4 temple, formerly known as the Rebel base, staring up at the ceiling. "Is that it?"

"I think so." Anakin nudged it with the Force and the hatch disguised as solid vibrated. They both ducked aside as dust and rock chips rattled down.

"Careful." Obi-Wan advised.

"I got it..." The stone moved, revealing an opening and stone steps, very narrow. Glancing at Kenobi, Anakin carefully clamored up the steps. He paused. "Oh yes. This is it...ack."

Obi-Wan came up in time to see Anakin's blue lightsaber swatting at cobwebs.

"Bit of overkill, don't you think? Oh." Obi-Wan backed away as a highly poisonous spider type creature hurried off the web. It leaped at Obi-Wan, but Anakin's sword bisected it.

"Lovely." Obi-Wan grunted.

"Dusty." Anakin waved his hand in front of his nose and sneezed. It took some Force pushes to open the sealed windows, allowing the light to stream in. A single elaborate chair sat in the center on a swivel stone. Anakin waved his hand and dust sprayed out the windows.

Obi-Wan started coughing. "Must you?"

Anakin was sneezing as well. "Sorry. Bad idea. Aha." He held the lightsaber up to reveal arcane symbols. He nodded. Sith all right.

Obi-Wan moved to study them. Anakin slid his eyes shut, cautiously probing with the Force. No traps sprang on them. He felt the natural dark energies around them, but they were mere dim echoes of a past age.

"I can feel the other temples. But this seems to be the primary focus."

"I can feel them as well, but I think your link is stronger. What else are you getting."

Anakin cocked his head. I'm not sensing...wait, what's that? Darkness...that way." He pointed.

Obi-Wan considered his map. "Temple of the Blue Leaf Cluster is that way. Reports suggested an odd crystal formation is the main centerpiece."

"Up for a hike?"

"If I must."

The moisture clung to their clothes. The jungle was beautiful with exotic greens and blues, but not easy walking. Creatures chattered and chirped and they had to be wary. Some ignored them, some were mischievous and some dangerous. They came out at the temple, which was in worse shape and much more overgrown then the main one. "We'd best be careful." Obi-Wan observed.

"You think?" Anakin gazed up at the crumbling stones. Slowly climbing up the steps and entering, he was drawn to a giant crystal. "What the stang is that?" Anakin was unnerved instantly. In the reflection he saw, not his own image but the image of Darth Vader, yellow eyes burning out of the black mask, slaying Jedi... haunting, accusing faces rushed at him... He leaped back and turned his eyes away instantly. Sheer reflex slammed his mental shields up and his lightsaber came out.

"Obi-Wan?"

The old man was staring, face white, into the crystal. Anakin grabbed his arm and turned him away. He smacked his cheek lightly. "Hey! Snap out of it." He pushed with the Force, resisting the dark side, calling on the life glowing all around. He could feel the darkness circling, radiating from the crystal, calling on all the fear and guilt and anger of his past. Fortunately, he'd had a lot of practice resisting it lately.

"Obi-Wan?"

Anakin spun, lightsaber drawn and slashed at the crystal. He blinked in surprise as his arm vibrated. The crystal turned molten at the edge and a few chips flew out, but it didn't break. If anything he felt as if a vast creature was casting a deathly, amused grin at him. "I guess that won't work. Impressive." Anakin stated, hair raising on the nape of his neck and shivering.

The old man shook his head finally and closed his eyes. "We can't bring students here without dealing with that thing."  
"I agree. Anywhere else to check out on the map?" Anakin was pulling him to the exit. A rumbling overhead made him speed up and they just missed a hail of stones that crumbled from the ceiling overhead. Outside, they paused for a moment in the comforting light.

"Suggestions on getting rid of it?"

"Blowing it to fragments comes to mind." Anakin snorted.

"A Sith crystal? We don't know what will happen if we blow it up. Or do you?"

"Not really. But we know it's not safe to leave sitting around. Anyway, wasn't there another one to check?"

"The next one in line is the one with a giant statue. Did you feel anything from that direction?" Obi-Wan motioned.

"No. Well. Nothing on this scale anyway. Lead on. And if you see a giant crystal, look away fast."

The next one gave them both pause. "I'm guessing that's Exar Kun." Anakin said, staring up at the giant figure.

"And he liked to look like he was walking on water." Obi-Wan observed as they splashed across the barely submerged stone walkway.

"Liked to make a grandiose intention, I guess. At least he's not a giant crystal. I'm surprised he didn't think of that..."

Entering, they both shivered slightly. Their lightsabers reflected blue purple light within. The walls bore scrawls of Sith writing on a shiny surface. Crystals lined the walls.

Anakin's wet boots slipped on the stone and he froze. He looked down. He lowered his lightsaber to the floor, frowning. "Obi-Wan? There should be dust in here, but there isn't."  
"And unlike the other temples, no plant life has infiltrated."

Anakin glanced around. "No animal droppings or nests either. I don't like this. I'm surprised you didn't know about these, from when you were here before."  
"I heard about them." Obi-Wan replied. "But it was right before I left. I had no time to investigate. Or, to be honest, any inclination. I had enough Sith troubles at the time without seeking out more."

They both started as their comlinks chirped, a relay from the ship. Just a short message, but urgent, requesting contact.

"Oh, too bad. I guess we have to abandon our quest." Anakin said. "Remind me to thank whoever sent that."

"Get in line." Obi-Wan replied dryly, as they hurried out. Anakin let Obi-Wan lead, glancing back at the temple and up at the brooding statue. He felt like they were being watched, but when he reached in the Force for a watcher, nothing was there. Uneasy, he made a note of it.

"Did we get all the temples?"

"No. At least one more very deep in the jungle. But it may be too dangerous to search in any case. It's in the worst shape of any."

Obi-Wan sat down at the computer console. The message popped up. Padme appeared via holo, a recorded message. "I'm sorry to interrupt. But we really need you here. We have a...political, military conflict going on...call me."

Anakin scowled and glanced at Obi-Wan. "I hate politics."

"I had no idea."

"I thought we weren't going to be sucked back in?"

"Judging from the message, your military intel is running afoul of someone's political ambition."

Anakin signaled the base and asked for Padme. He frowned as he saw how upset she looked. "What is it?"

She looked around. "This is scrambled right?"

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan who nodded. "Yes."

"Fey'lya's pushing to move on Coruscant."  
Anakin's eyes widened. "What about Lusankya? And that Grand Admiral?"

"He...said you were lying. His bothans can't find any proof. They claim we got all the Grand Admirals."

Anakin's eyes narrowed.

Obi-Wan interjected before Anakin could explode, "They've plenty of evidence that Anakin's intel has almost always been accurate."

"They don't want to believe it. And...Sate Pestage is offering to trade current details on Coruscant, in exchange for control of a few planets."

Anakin scowled, showing his opinion of that personage. "But...whose going to agree to give up their planets?"

Her expression turned to stone. "Ani, It's like during the Clone Wars, sacrificing one planet to save a more important one."

Anakin looked disgusted. He shook his head. "You can't trust Pestage! He knew about Palpatine for years!"

"I don't. But others do. Even Leia and Bail agree it may be the better option, or better than the alternatives. And if you want to do anything about it...you'll need to come back and convince them." She looked over her shoulder. "I need to go. They won't like me talking about this over the net."

"Right. See you soon."

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "Think I can convince them?"

"I think you'll do your best."

"That's not very reassuring."

* * *

Anakin whipped the shuttle to the side, just dodging the laser blasts of the other shuttle in pursuit. He glanced at Obi-Wan in the passenger seat. "Any suggestions?"

Obi-Wan looked grim. The system they had paused to refuel in was rich in moons and an asteroid belt. Unfortunately, it was not rich in clear hyperspace lanes. The shuttle behind them had intercepted their course and now Anakin was not only frantically dodging laser blasts, but also trying to find a clear exit.

"We may need to go to ground."  
"We do and they'll call for backup."

"We'll have to land where they can't."

"I'm going to try and wreck them on one of these moons."

Obi-Wan was shoved back in his seat as the gravity fluctuated. Anakin took them in a sling shot around one moon and headed for another. Veering into the stormy atmosphere, he ducked through giant mountains, so tall there was scarcely any air at top. Plasma winds buffeted them, revealing a harsh environment. Dodging through canyons and between lightning strikes, Anakin had a fierce, death defying grin. The elder Jedi had to fight the urge to close his eyes, and remind him it was a shuttle, not a pod racer.

Up over a cliff, down into a canyon, underneath a natural archway, then through three stone like archways, the other ship wasn't far behind.

"Great pilot back there." Anakin observed. "Let's see how you handle this?" He flipped the ship almost straight up and circled back, brushing so close to the massive stone shell shape that Obi-Wan swore he could've leaned out and touched it. Anakin punched the laser cannons hard and finally the other ship started to smoke. It rocked, brushed the side of the rocky shape and tried to spin to return fire, only to plummet as a gust of storm wind blasted it straight down.

"Yes!" A lightning strike slammed their own ship, causing the already complaining controls and engine to spark. Several indicators went red. "Uh oh."

Obi-Wan looked at him, wide eyed. "I do not want to hear, 'uh oh'."

"How about, get ready for a rough landing?"

Obi-Wan winced. The ship was in a barely controlled dive as Anakin wrestled with it. The extended side flaps wavered and Anakin fought to keep it stabilized and upright as they broke through dark trees and neared the canyon floor. With so much vegetation in the way, it was hard to even see it. But Anakin was gifted at this, he snapped the landing gear down just in time for it to hit with a violent bump and splash of a water.

For a long moment, they sat just breathing. "Any landing you walk away from, is a good landing." He intoned.

"For the people who walk. I doubt the ship would agree." Obi-Wan said, working to get his stomach settled back in place. Somewhere during the landing it had bounced into his throat.

"Anakin, are we going to sink?"

"I don't think so. I think it's just a really big puddle." Rain was pouring down outside in massive sheets. It was so dark, they could hardly see anything. "Do you think they survived?" His voice was ambivalent.

"They went down harder then we did. I expect they would've been in no position to notice our crash." He paused. "Hopefully." Obi-Wan rose slowly, with a wince. "I am getting to old for your type of landing."

Anakin followed him and they both headed for the engine compartment. Anakin paused, hands on his hips. "Oh."

"Not good." Obi-Wan considered the slagged circuitry. "We needed that."

"Suddenly, I rather hope they did get down. We can steal their parts."

"Nice of you. I think I'll try calling for help." Obi-Wan turned and went back to the cockpit.

Anakin picked up the tool box and got to work examining what could be fixed and what couldn't." He paused as he studied the mess. The hyperdrive initiator was damaged. Only one of the thrusters was online. And the repulsor circuits were shifting from red to green and back.

"No comm." Kenobi said.

"Damaged?"

"I don't think so. It's just the location. We arrived when two moons come close enough to brush each other's atmosphere. That's where all the plasma discharge in the air was coming from."

"Well, I hope it clears up outside. We really may need to check out that other ship. I think I can fix the repulsor and one of the thrusters. But one's wrecked and the initiator is fried."

"So we have to hope our pursuer's is intact, or that you can find a way to jury rig it well enough to return to Landris Way."

"I'd prefer the former, in case they called for backup. Whoever they are."

"The Empire."

"No kidding. But normally they come with Star Destroyers and TIEs. Not Lambda class shuttles. I presume they weren't expecting us."

"I sensed someone Force sensitive." Kenobi observed, concerned.

Anakin nodded. "Familiar too."

"You could identify them?"

He shook his head as disconnected a lead from the console and replaced it. "Not quite. Very focused and determined though."  
"I didn't get that."  
"I hope it's not because they were very focused on me."  
Obi-Wan picked up one of the tools and started it on the internal thruster components. "I hope not too. That would imply they know who you are and were. And they will see you as a threat."

Anakin's lips tightened. "I don't feel like a threat." He snorted. "The Alliance doesn't believe my warnings."

"I don't think it's disbelief that's the problem. And your attitude isn't helping."  
"My attitude? What about Fey'lyas? He called me a liar. If his bothans can't confirm it, oh it must be a lie."

Obi-Wan sighed. "That is more likely politics than disbelief."

"And here I go full circle, helplessly watching politics get people killed! I wouldn't make up the Lusankya, Obi-Wan. I've been aboard it. Before and after it touched down. Just because I don't know how he buried it unnoticed in the city…I wasn't there at the time..."

"They don't want to believe taking Coruscant is impossible."  
"Maybe it's possible, but not if you ignore the facts. We have a military tactician using all the tactics of Grand Admiral Thrawn. But oh, no, I imagined him. Because the Emperor 'doesn't like aliens'. And then there's the whole thing with Pestage. How can they go along with it? Even if he could give them Coruscant, how can they agree to his terms? Rulership of a couple of planets? Whose planets get sacrificed? Not theirs. How can they trade planets? The planet's aren't theirs to trade!"

"I tend to agree."  
"But even Leia is ready to go along. I really thought she wouldn't…"

"Anakin, she's thinking like a tactician. Barring ignoring your warning on defenses, we did the same. Sacrificed this world to save that."

"No. That's not the same. We couldn't fight to save them. We hadn't the resources. We didn't literally trade them away willingly, like trading a speeder bike for a landspeeder. What will they do if those people want to join the Republic and get fair representation?"

"I could remind you, we did make a deal with the hutts."

Anakin fell silent, staring up inside a console. Obi-Wan could only see the luma he was shining inside. "I was hoping…the Alliance would be better than this. Better than the old. Not fall into the same traps."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I know. But perfection is ever elusive. I doubt they'd reject the people of any world that overthrew Pestage by themselves."

"Hmmfh." Anakin grumbled.

Obi-Wan sighed. They had been there and done that. And it was no wonder Anakin resented it happening all over again. They didn't realize just how the Sith could take advantage of such corruption. They probably didn't even realize how close they were coming to being corrupt!

_to be continued_

* * *

_Thanks to the X-Wing Rogue Squadron comics and novels for Pestage and Lusankya._


	2. Chapter 2

Obi-Wan took the first chance to rest, after Anakin refused it. Anakin finally changed places with him, finally satisfied with how he was leaving things. He left Obi-Wan to tinker with the easier of the mechanical repairs. Obi-Wan listened to Anakin's restless sleep. His friend had gotten past the initial nightmares he'd had after his return from the dark side. But lately, he'd noticed more tossing and turning. Finally Anakin sat up, listening.

"Storms over. I see daylight." He was craning his neck to see out the viewport. "I'm going to check the outside. Maybe I'll look for the other ship."

"Just be sure they don't see you." Obi-Wan observed. "Are you all right? You didn't sleep much."

Anakin sighed. "Yes. Bad dreams." He paused. "Not the regular ones. Different."

"Different how?"  
Anakin just shook his head. "I'll let you know when I sort it out myself. They're probably just dreams…"

As opposed to visions? Obi-Wan got a chill at that thought. Anakin's visions were rarely good. And his need to prevent them was what led to his downfall. Still, he could trust Anakin to tell him, now. He followed him out of the ship and sighed as he stepped into water.

"See? I told you it was just a puddle." Anakin quickly pointed out.

"A puddle the size of a field."

"But not deep. It's a puddle."

"It's almost a pond, Anakin."

"Almost doesn't count. Ouch, look at our dorsal wing…" Anakin stared at the ship wing.

Obi-Wan peered up to see a massive scorch mark running down it, along with exposed circuits. "Well, that's not good." He stated calmly. "Can you fly with it like that?"

Anakin bounced up onto the upper hull with a nearly obscene amount of energy. "Yes. I'm more worried about the way the mark runs to that left ventral. It might've damaged s-foil circuits."

"A rough lift off."

"And a turbulent trip through hyperspace." Anakin had paused and pulled out a pair of electrobinoculars. He took a half step forward, slipped, caught the upper wing and stared.

"What are you looking at."

"Big mess to the south. Smoldering. Looks like trees down. Maybe…"

"Our opponents." Obi-Wan considered. "Anakin, are you sure there is no way to repair this ship with what we have?"

Anakin considered a moment. He shook his head. "Not the initiator."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Then I guess we're in for a hike."

"Are you sure you don't want to wait here?"

"Tired of my company?"

"No. I just don't want them to come and steal our ship."

"Our damaged ship."

"They don't know that. We have fixed enough it might lift off, even if it's hyperdrive is out."

Obi-Wan considered for a long moment. "I don't like the idea of you going alone. Not when it's probably you they are after."

"I'll stay in touch."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I'll agree, only because I don't have a better idea."

"If you see anything else we need, just call. Maybe it'll work for local signals."

"Perhaps."

Anakin stayed alert as he trudged through the forest. Massive spiky trunked trees loomed over him with blue foliage like giant flowers. He brushed past something that looked like shoulder high toadstools and heard the distant calls of wild creatures. He kept his Force senses alert, searching for sentients who might be hunting him, but he felt nothing. He passed a chattering brook, colorful with stones and wondered if the water was drinkable.

Finally he started passing debris, bits of broken limbs from taller trees and metal. He passed a mangled stormtrooper, obviously dead, and winced. That one had been thrown or fallen quite a distance. Bits of shattered transparisteel reflected sunlight. Then he entered the newly made clearing and saw the remains of the shuttle. All of the wings had been ripped off and the cockpit nose was crumpled. Black scorch marks showed along the engine. He hoped he hadn't fried the parts they needed with shooting. He passed another stormtrooper's body. He finally sensed life. One sentient, in pain and frightened. Even as the recognition made him rush forward, blaster fire rang out. His lightsaber was activated and in his hand instantly. A resounding screaming roar blasted out. Another scream, this one human, sent him into a run. He raced to the the shuttle and saw what looked like a giant lizard cat, dark blue with green stripes that almost blended into the landscape. It's teeth had closed on the leg of a wounded Imperial. The man's blaster was flung to the side by the long, hard, whipping tail. The blaster vanished into the brushy mushrooms. The tail had sharp spikes and blood sprayed from that arm. One fist bashed in a panic at the beast's head as the creature proceeded to drag him the rest of the way out of the ship.

Anakin reached out and Force punched the beast. It flew back but the man flew with it. Anakin winced as the teeth clenched tighter instead of releasing. He leaped, saber swinging and sliced the long tail. It released and spun, leaping at him with extended claws. Another Force punch sent it back. For a few moments they battled, Anakin trying to convince the beast to find dinner elsewhere, the beast too enraged to walk away. Finally he succeeded by Force throwing it so hard it crashed through the trees. Anakin sighed with relief. He hadn't had to bloody his new blade with death yet. He could sense it fleeing.

Turning back to the Imperial, he saw the very blood stained leg, old burns on his face, one massive scar and finally, a bloody arm. The man was white as a sheet and staring at him. Anakin stared back. With all the injuries, old and new, it took a moment for him to recognize Admiral Piett.

And only a split second longer for the man to recognize him right back. "Lord Vader." He whispered.

Anakin felt a cold shock roar through him. How could Piett possibly recognize him? He'd never seen his face without the mask!

In spite of the momentary shock, Anakin kept alert. The lizard cat might come back, and it might have friends. Also, there might be other survivors who might take a shot at him. But he sensed no immediate danger and headed over to the Admiral. For a moment, he eyed him, then darted into the empty shuttle. It had hit so hard the seats were crooked, and he could see the bodies of the cockpit crew still in front, along with a red stain on the windscreen. He winced, then opened a cabinet with a med kit. He spun back to the seats, found one fairly upright and swung his lightsaber through the supports. He extricated the metal bar from the padding. Finally he hurried back out.

The Admiral was still staring, alternating between him, the wild surroundings and the badly injured leg. Anakin kneeled next to him, making him start. He started with carefully slicing a hole in the pants leg and putting a pain patch on, followed quickly by larger patch to cover the bleeding holes in the leg. But he could sense from the man's pain, the depth of the wounds and the lump in the leg that it was probably broken. He sighed. "I think it's broken." He pulled a random, small brace out of the bag. Too small for the injury. "Here. Bite down on this. Yelling might bring them back and it's going to hurt. Sorry." He shoved it into the man's open mouth. Apparently it was the "sorry" that left Piett's mouth gaping. It was not a word he ever used as Darth Vader. Wincing slightly in sympathy and using the Force to feel out the appropriate shape of the leg, he straightened. The Admiral howled into the brace. Using the metal bar and the bandages he quickly splinted it. Sensing the man's reaction, he grabbed the splint from his mouth and leaped back just in time to miss the man being sick. As soon as that was done, he followed through on the arm injury, which was just a deep cut.

"I'll be right back. I don't sense any of those creatures too close. Just hang on."

He left the man gasping weakly, handing over his canteen. Piett didn't question now, he just rinsed his mouth out as Anakin hurried back into the wreckage. He quickly checked the engine compartment and let out a concerned grumble at the damage. Then he dug out the hyperdrive initiator. He sighed uncertainly as he checked it. There was damage all around it and studying it he could see at least one fried bit of circuitry. But he might be able to patch it. It wasn't supposed to be doable, but then, a lot of the engineering experiments he'd done weren't. Then he glanced back out to where he'd left the admiral. A quick check of the Force warned him that the creature was coming back, and with friends. Spinning for the communication system and cringing as he had to move aside a body, he quickly downloaded the messages, nav data and especially the highly classified intel. His eyes narrowed and he took in a deep breath as he scanned for the pertinate data.

"Oh, KRIFF it." He growled. He shuddered as he saw the image and message that appeared, eyes only intel. It was meant to be spread among only highest ranked commanders. It was him. His younger face looked out at him, followed by an image of him, scarred, mask less but in Darth Vader's armor. That gave him a jolt. He rocked back on his heels in disbelief. How had they gotten it?

There was an enormous bounty offered on him and it clearly detailed he was Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker and warned that he was very dangerous. He was wanted for the attempted murder of the Emperor and treason. But the knowledge was to be kept secret on Grand Admiral Thrawn's orders. Any local bounties offered were only to mention Anakin Skywalker, Jedi and give his face, including the scarred one but with the armor edited out.

"Oh, that's rich." He snorted, shaking his head. And if word got out, when word got out, the flip side would be obvious. If he was Vader and Anakin Skywalker, he was the one who betrayed the Jedi. And there were people, too, who would take it out on his family just to get at him.

He blew nervously, ignoring the smell of death in the cockpit. Someone had ejected from this ship. Someone on a mission. Someone who knew too much.

He glanced around and turned to another damaged support beam. Activating the lightsaber, he sliced it free and with a strong twist of the Force, bent the end into a handle. Then he found another. He quickly yanked padding from one of the seats and wrapped the handles, then hustled back out to the Admiral. The man was breathing hard.

"I know it's a bad idea with that leg, but those creatures are coming back. You are going to need to walk." Or run, he thought, but didn't add. "I can't carry you out on a stretcher fast enough." As if to emphasis this, there was movement in the distance, a low growling and hooting. It came first on one side, then another.

"Hunting pack." Anakin said, handing him one crutch and pulling him up, swaying. The man took both crutches, face white and breathing hard in near panic. Anakin pulled a hypo out of the med kit and gave him a shot. The man blinked. "Adrenaline." He glanced at the creatures. "We need to move!"

He led him into the flowering bush, heading back to Obi-Wan. He slowed enough to keep pace with the Admiral, who was trying to push crutches through the dense foliage. Anakin kept one hand on his lightsaber hilt. He kept alert for the creatures, which fell back quickly. For the moment, he could sense they had lost some of them. The bodies, he realized wincing. Fresh enough they wouldn't turn their noses up.

The Admiral finally had to rest. He was drenched in sweat and Anakin could see his leg still bleeding a bit. Not a good sign, the lizard cats were sure to smell it if the breeze shifted. Right now it was at their backs and coming in on a down draft. It brought the tingle of plasma to the air. He hoped it wasn't enough to cause lung damage.

"I...don't understand. Alive...and not in the mask..." Piett was confused, in shock and a bit loopy from the drugs. Otherwise he'd never have dared question.

"Long story." Anakin glanced over his shoulder. At least one of the beasts was on the trail again. Abruptly making a decision, he reached into the Force, searching for his hunter. It was a woman and he could feel her, but not quite pinpoint her. She also was heading toward his ship. "Obi-Wan," he whispered in warning. He felt the answering touch and acknowledgement of danger.

"You ready?" He knew the man wasn't. But Piett simply gritted his teeth and started bravely on again.

The man finally gave out again, this time nearly toppling over and retching. Anakin pushed him over to a tree. The man's flailing hand caught it and Anakin caught the crutch he dropped. Finally, he just sagged back. Anakin let him rest. He still could feel the creatures hunting, three now. One in the lead.

"Admiral. What's this about 'attempted' to murder the Emperor?" Now was the time to nudge the question. The drugs made him more inclined to answer.

"I...don't know." The man was weak. "It just came down that you were alive, and...a traitor..."

Anakin turned his attention tighter onto him. The confusion and uncertainty were honest. But there was a sense of suspicion there, a hunch..

"But you suspect."

Piett swallowed, trembling. "Officers who would not agree on new leadership are suddenly cooperating, as if the Emperor is back and directing them."

"Like who?"

"Isard. Thrawn."

And an agent who answered only to the Emperor. Anakin felt a chill go through him. The Emperor was dead. He'd killed him, himself. So who could be daring to take his place?

Piett suddenly pushed off and Anakin led him forward toward the shuttle. He resisted the urge to speed up. The lizard cats were gaining. And the agent was closing on the shuttle. He could feel it. The alertness of a prey animal was driving him. He felt a tingle of anger along with it. He was accustomed to being the hunter, not the hunted. That feeling brought a sudden nausea with it. This was how the Jedi felt, when he had hunted them.

A distant sense of alarm, brought him to a momentary halt. Cocking his head he listened intently. The Admiral paused, panting and glanced back. Anakin could hear the rumble of engines as he strained. A flicker of the Force told him Obi-Wan was coming to them.

"Where did those orders come from Admiral? If not who, do you know where?"

"Deep core, Byss..."

Anakin shuddered. A danger premonition, completely unrelated to the current situation filtered into his perceptions. There was trouble coming that would make Dariqsen look like a flash in the pan. Which he was, but only because they had stopped him.

"We need to get to a clearing." Anakin said. "Our ride is coming to get us."

"What...are you going to do with me?"

"Do? I hadn't planned on doing anything." Anakin said as he steered toward the gap in the Force nearby that he was sure spelled 'less trees'. "I wasn't exactly expecting survivors. Then I figured you didn't really want to be dinner. You won't last here in this condition. You need medical help."

"Are you turning me in to the Alliance?"

"Best place for medical help. Look what they did for me."

That seemed to cut through the man's slightly drug and pain addled state. He glanced at him in realization. His eyes widened as he took him in. It occurred to Anakin he'd just confirmed what the man already knew.

Then the shuttle was dropping toward them. In the distance he felt a surge of Force power, someone racing to intercept, determined and angry. Behind he glimpsed blue green stripes and a flicker of eyes. "Hurry."

Piett stumbled up the ramp. Anakin spun around, hand outstretched and slammed the creature with a Force blow, it fell back, yowling in rage and confusion. Two more were coming from the sides and he backed toward the shuttle, throwing force punches at them too. A hint of red and green burst from the trees, charging him. His lightsaber came up and he blocked the blow of an orange lightsaber blade as it slammed toward him. Mara Jade. The thought rocked him as they battled briefly, lightsabers clashing and throwing sparks. She struck out with one hand and Anakin nearly jumped into her blade to avoid it, seeing the glint of metal syringe in it. A sudden Force blow struck her from above and behind, knocking her back, courtesy of Obi-Wan. He'd risked leaving the cockpit with the ship hovering. Anakin did a back flip onto the ramp, which started to rise. Obi-Wan was diving back into the cockpit and lifting them so suddenly Anakin stumbled back. Piett held onto his seat tightly battling to put the harness on. As the ramp shut Anakin saw Mara throw something at the ship. The ship charged for space.

"Please tell me you got it!" Obi-Wan called from the cockpit, referring to the hyperdrive initiator. The ship rocked through skies, which still bore traces of plasma and electrical sparks. The two moon's atmospheres was parted but the after effects lingered.

"Yes!" Anakin didn't clarify that he couldn't guarantee it would work. He just battled the acceleration and hurried to the engines, swapping the old part for the replacement, then swapping the damaged circuit for another one. The ship was steadying now, free of atmosphere. "Try it anytime." He hesitated. "But drop us out before we get where we're going. I need to check something."

The jump was made quickly and lasted several minutes. Anakin glanced at Piett, his eyes shut and passed quickly into the cockpit.

"You brought a passenger." Obi-Wan remarked.

"It was that or leave him to be the guest of honor at dinner. The kind that never gets to leave."

"What do you need to check? If you aren't sure about the initiator and we drop out of hyperspace, it might give out before we jump again."

"I'm more worried at what Mara threw at the ship."

"Mara?"

"Mara Jade, that agent. Might've been a tracker she threw."

"Or a sleeper bomb?"

Anakin winced. "Didn't think of that."

"You've been busy."

"Still, we can't just lead them right to the med center and base. I'll drop us out a minute and you can go out and check."

"Fine."

It was a tracker and a sleeper bomb in one. It was set to detonate to prevent detection. Anakin stared at it, debating how to free it. His breathing distracted him, loud in his own ears, reminding him of his years in the suit. Only the translucency of the space helmet prevented claustrophobia in deep space.

"Well?" Obi-Wan's voice echoed through the comlink.

"We were both right. I'll have to be careful or it'll blow up on removal."

Obi-Wan sucked in a breath.

"How's the Admiral?" Anakin inquired.

"Unconscious."

"He's the lucky one at the moment."

"You can do this."

"I know. It's the pressure of knowing someone may be right behind us that's getting to me."

Anakin carefully reached into the device with the Force. He surrounded it, gripped slow and evenly with the Force, simulating natural atmospheric pressure. Carefully he clicked it free, shifting the magnetic attachment to the hull to the tool. A warning quiver went through the device. Eyes widening, he carefully drew it free, still keeping a grip on that quivering component. It was trying to trigger the bomb. Holding tight, closing his eyes, and he through the tool, hard, giving it a firm Force push to top it off. He pressed against the hull, eyes shut as the bomb exploded behind him. A brief wave of pressure and a sonic boom that he could only hear through the helmet com and feel bouncing off his suit. He bumped the shuttle, which was knocked aside but undamaged. Then he headed back in the airlock.

"Let's go home." Anakin said. Or as close to one as they currently had.

_to be continued_


	3. Chapter 3

They were coming in for a landing on a beautiful world. They ducked over a vast, blue green sea under unpolluted skies. A cliff some distance off was the destination. They roared over it and Obi-Wan lightly set them down into a valley, steering them under an enormous cavern full of ships. They sat for an instant, watching the bustle outside.

"Obi-Wan, what will they do with him?" Anakin's voice was troubled as he glanced back toward the Imperial admiral.

"Heal him."

"Besides that?"

Obi-Wan studied him. "You feel responsible for him."

"He was one of my men. Any crimes he may have committed were under my orders." He said, tiredly.

"Did he tell you anything?"

"A bit. He was loopy from the drugs. It seemed like a good time to ask."

Medical personnel were hurrying to the ship.

"Obi-Wan...according to that reader, I'm wanted for the attempted murder of the Emperor. Not the murder, the attempted murder. And someone out there is giving orders and even Isard and Thrawn are deferring. And that was the Emperor's hand...not just any of them but the best he had."

"You killed the Emperor. Both you and Luke were certain of it."

Anakin nodded. "But someone seems convinced he's not dead. Someone is filling his role. Why else accuse me of attempted murder, not murder?"

"Any ideas on who?"

"Only one. Not the who, but Piett said the orders were coming out of Byss. That's where Palpatine did his darkest, Sith experiments. Alchemy and science, things no one anywhere else would think of without being locked in an asylum."

"That sounds very bad."

"It is." His lips pursed as they rose and the medics hurried up the ramp. "Because I guarantee you one thing. Byss is one thing none of us as Jedi should ever, ever risk going. The Dark side rules there. I've never been anywhere stronger in it, not Vjun, or even Korriban." He shivered. "I didn't like it, even as Vader. Some of the experiments he was into..." He just shook his head. "Terrifying. Totally against nature. Started by his master, Plagueis. Keeping things alive that should be dead, seeing how long he could hold them at the brink, suffering, to feed his power..."

"To stop things from dying. What he tempted you with."

"If I'd known the details, I'd not have been tempted. I wanted to protect my family from harm, not hold them alive in agony."

Anakin and Obi-Wan followed the medics down the ramp.

"They won't harm him, Anakin. In fact...is there any chance you can persuade him to cooperate?"  
"I don't know. I had the advantage of surprise when I talked to him. That, and the pain and drug induced weakness."

"So you don't think he'd defect?"

Anakin considered, carefully. "I don't know. I believe he honestly believed in the Empire. Piett is a competent officer, at least. He had to be a good one or I'd never have put him in charge. I had a tendency to remove the ones who were purely political appointees at the first opportunity." A touch of shame filtered through his words.

"So perhaps, if he knew the truth of Palpatine, that he was behind the Clone Wars..."

Anakin nodded. "Perhaps. It would take a lot of convincing. Proof."

"It's worth a shot." Kenobi said as they left the cavern. Walking along the base and climbing up an outer trail, they paused at the top. An ocean breeze blew cool and comforting over them. They could've just taken the elevator's to the base and medical center. But the scenic route was comforting and they both needed it.

"Have you ever wondered what would've happened if we had stopped him? If I had, to start with..."

Obi-Wan looked at him. "I figure it's unproductive to dwell on might have been."

"Only if it's not still a possibility. It was the Jedi's word against his. We had no physical proof. He had many allies in the Senate and the courts, ones who honestly believed him."  
"It would've been a challenge in any case."

Coming around a turn, they found Calrissian standing there, hands on his hips, smiling. He wore a grey uniform and a lavender grey cloak with a metallic shimmer.

"Hey. Welcome back."

"Hello." Kenobi responded politely.

Anakin just rose his brows. He'd not had much to do with Calrissian since his return. The man had been out and about on other missions. He knew Calrissian knew about his alternate identity. But he was sensing an agenda at this unexpected meeting. Unexpected for them, anyway.

"I've been meaning to talk to you two. Nice view, isn't it?"

"Spectacular." Anakin conceded.

"So...what ever happened to all of your accounts?" Lando asked casually.

Anakin stared at him. "My accounts?"

"He did pay you, right?"

Anakin snorted. "Blood money. Right out of the Jedi Temple treasury."

"So. Your change of heart means you haven't got any use for it, right?"

"Far as I'm concerned, it belongs to the Jedi." Anakin gestured at Obi-Wan. "I gave him all the access. It's out of my hands."

Calrissian's eyes were bright as he stroked his mustache. "Well, Jedi help people right?"  
Obi-Wan gave Anakin a 'what is he up to?' look.

"This would be a great place for recovery. Imagine an expanded med center, therapy center, vacation for the war torn masses..."

Anakin crossed his arms, amused now. "You are looking for backers for a business venture."

"Well...honestly, can you tell me it wouldn't be a service to the galaxy?"

Obi-Wan calmly replied, "Jedi do not get involved in profit making enterprises."

"Oh, come on. Any profit could go for charity, the help of the people who need the help but otherwise couldn't afford it!"

Anakin had a bemused, half smile on his face.

"I don't like to point out, it could be considered restitution. You said yourself it was blood money. Did it all come from the Temple treasury?"

"What didn't, I gave to the Alliance."

"You sat down and calculated down to the last credit?" Calrissian's eyes were bright.

Obi-Wan was amused. He glanced at Anakin. "Why don't you get backing from the Alliance leaders? This is their base. Maybe they won't want the traffic."

"For now maybe. But we're gaining ground. Really, what better way to heal the galaxy? I'm sure the only reason it hasn't been done yet, is that it's so far off the main hyperlanes."

"Calrissian, this planet is largely unexplored and therefore unexploited. We can't even be sure there are no sentients already on the planet." Anakin pointed out.

"Well, there must not be many of them or they are awfully shy."

Obi-Wan sighed deeply. He glanced back at Anakin, who shrugged. "Why don't we consider such things when we are more sure the war is ending?"

"That sounds ominously like you expect it to ramp up."

"Let's say we've found some danger signs we are still trying to interpret." Obi-Wan motioned to Anakin and started past Lando.

Anakin paused a moment at the bend in the trail, looking back at Lando, who was staring after him. "It's not a bad idea." His blue eyes met the man whose city he'd stolen. "I don't know if I can help, but I do hope it works out."

Lando smiled at this. Then he jogged after them. "So you do agree it's a good idea? Sun, sand, beach, beautiful grasslands and forests..." He motioned expansively around. Clear sky all above, sea stretched out on one side, the grass on the other in a gently rolling prairie.

Anakin smiled. "Sure."

"Anakin, why are you encouraging this?"

"Because it's a good idea."

"For which neither you, or I have time."

"Don't be a stick in the muck." Anakin replied with a hint of mischief.

Obi-Wan cast Anakin a 'I know you're just trying to get a rise out of me' look.

Anakin shrugged at Lando. "Sorry. I don't think he's buying."

"I guess I could try and get the Alliance to back me. They aren't broke thanks to your forking over that money, contrary to what they'd have us think." He frowned. "Unfortunately, that means going through the temporary advisory senate and that means Fey'lya. I guess I should feel out Padme and Leia..."

Anakin cast him a disapproving look. "Hey! Watch your language."

Lando's eyes widened and he drew back. "Um. I meant, ask their advice."

"Better." Anakin cocked a brow at him. "I prefer no-one feels out my wife but me."  
Lando's lips twitched in realization. "What about Leia?"

"She's got a mind of her own."

"And Padme doesn't?"

"Sure she does. And all I can do is sit back and fume when she disagrees with me. I've never have won an argument."

"So what's this ominous data you've got?" Calrissian asked.

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, a half step ahead. Shrugging, he pulled out the data reader and handed it over.

"Oh. That's bad. That's very bad. They won't be happy that you gave us the intel or money..."

"Money? I'm more worried about that..." Anakin reached over and tapped the line about attempted murder of Palpatine.

"Attempted? Are they saying Luke did the actual deed?"

"That might be preferable. I think they're implying he's alive."

"But you said you killed him! Luke did too!" Lando objected, voice rising in alarm.

"I did kill him!" Anakin hesitated. "But Admiral Piett said the orders are coming out of Byss and even Isard and Thrawn are cooperating."

"That prisoner you brought in?"

Anakin winced. "I didn't really think of it as a capture. It was more of a rescue from a bunch of lizard cats planning for a feast."

"Oh. But he talked? How did you get him to do that?" Lando's expression altered suddenly, remembering who he was talking to.

Anakin rolled his eyes heavenward. "Not the way you are thinking. I saved his life, and he was kind of out of it because of the meds. I just figured it was a good time to ask. He had too many other concerns to worry about whether talking was a good idea."

"Oh." Lando handed back the file. "What are you going to do with this?"

Anakin pressed his lips together and frowned at the data reader. "I wish I knew."

Padme hurried up as soon as they entered the base's front entrance. The base itself was built on and in the rock near the ocean, stretching back underground. It had the clean, smooth look of white natural stone in front, with a partial opening and gap that led further toward the entrance caves. Inside it looked clean and modern. Padme smiled and Anakin swept her into a hug.

"Are you two all right? I heard you ran into trouble!"

"Of course we did. It's our natural element."

"Not funny, Ani."

"No, but it is true."

"I think I'll go try and feel out...er...persuade the Princess to back my venture." Lando hurried off. Obi-Wan sighed. "If you'll hand over that data reader, I'll go see if I can share it with the Rieekan and Cracken."

"Hm. At least they won't dismiss it out of hand."

"No. They won't."

Padme grabbed Anakin's hand. "Let's go for a walk." She drew him back out the door. The view was even more awe inspiring from up here. They could see in both directions as the breeze stirred the grass, and below in the meadow, wild flowers were springing up. "It's a lot like that meadow on Naboo, isn't it."

Anakin smiled. "Yes, it is."

"So, what's Lando on about?"

"Ah. Look out. He's going to try and get backing for a big med center, therapy center and vacation resort right here."

"From the Alliance? We're hardly rich."

"He was trying to pry it out of me as restitution. I told him I gave all my accounts to the Alliance and the Jedi."

She laughed. "And now he's going after Leia."

"And you. And probably everyone he thinks will listen."

"I wish...I like that idea. I know he's thinking of profit with the resort. But a med center and therapy for refugees and victims would be nice. And it would be good if someone we could trust was behind it. We'd need that, because I'm sure once the hyperspace lane became well known, people would try and exploit it."

"Of course."

A comlink signaled. Padme sighed and answered.

"Amidala, you are requested in the war room."

"On my way." She gave Anakin a sad smile. "Duty calls, as usual."

He gave her a faint smile. "Even five minutes with you is rejuvenating."

"Flatterer."

"I think I'll go check on Ahsoka. Luke's not here, is he?"

"He's getting ready to leave. He and Ahsoka both. They aren't ready yet though. They wanted to talk to you."

"Okay."

They parted in the base proper, and Anakin headed for the officers quarters, where both Ahsoka and Luke were housed. He found them together, three miniature holo maps open and surrounded by open files. Artoo sat beside them, analyzing data.

"Well, what have I missed?" He smiled.

Luke and Ahsoka smiled back, but there was a grimness in their expressions. "You might want to sit down for this."

"Oh. Not a promising start." Anakin sat on the edge of Luke's bunk, studying the maps before him. "Planning a trip to Coruscant?"

Ahsoka and Luke looked at each other. "What you told us about the defenses on Coruscant..." Luke said reluctantly.

"Yes?" Anakin prodded, warily.

"Since they can't confirm the Lusankya, Fey'lya has pushed to accept Pestage's deal and try and take Coruscant. Especially since the fleet is no-where near there, but scattered."

Anakin closed his eyes. "It'll be a blood bath."

"They do have a good plan." Luke said slowly. "But it doesn't count on that Destroyer. Officially, we're supposed to assume it's not there."

"And you're just going to do it?" Anakin was alarmed. "Follow orders into a trap?"

Luke shook his head. "I gave up the squadron, officially. It's in Wedge's hands now. Unofficially the Rogues will look for any evidence while they're performing the mission. But they're on a deadline..." His lips pressed together and he met Anakin's eyes. "So Ahsoka and I figured, someone else can prove it."

"Namely you."

"Us. Me and Ahsoka. She knows Coruscant better than I do. It would be an unofficial side trip. Officially, we'd be looking to retrieve information from the Jedi temple."

"It's changed, Snips. It's not the world you knew. You'll find it's even worse for non humans."

"Which just means there are places a human won't be accepted because the non humans won't trust them." She replied.

"And you are well known and wanted." Anakin pointed out to Luke.

"I'll go in disguise."

Anakin cocked a brow.

"We haven't worked out all the details. You could come with us and show us." Luke's eyes met his.

Anakin sighed. "If I must."

"Well, if you don't want too..." Luke frowned.

"It's not that, it's...Luke, they're on to me."

The young man frowned. "Who?"

"Good question. We were chased by a shuttle. According to the logs, Admiral Piett was supposed to rejoin the fleet after an extensive hospital stay. He was apparently picked up by the fleet in an escape pod after ejecting from the Executor's destruction at Endor. Anyway, Mara Jade, one of the Emperor's Hands, got wind Obi-Wan and I had stopped on Landis Way for refueling. The Empire didn't have any ships in the area but she commandeered the shuttle with him in it and came after us shooting. We ended up in a firefight and we both crashed. She jumped out in an escape pod and it turned into a race. I was trying to get to their ship and retrieve parts to fix our hyperdrive. She was trying to find our ship. And to top it off, I found the Admiral about to be dinner for a pack of wild animals. The wanted poster was in the shuttle. Included both holos, before I turned and even after I became Vader, what I looked like under the mask...and don't ask how they got the second. I've no idea. The Admiral admitted the officers have come together under one leader working out of Byss."

"That's terrible!" Ahsoka gasped. "In that case, you shouldn't go!"

"On the contrary. Maybe I could find information on whose behind them if I can get to the Lusankya."

"The main problem with out plan is, even if we can prove it's there, it'll be too late to prevent the Alliance plan from going down." Luke said.

"We can only figure out how to sabotage the ship."

Anakin leaned back against the wall. His eyes slid half shut and he gave a small, shake of his head. "Sabotage which part? You'd have to sabotage the repulsorlift cradle to prevent take off, hyperdrive in case some lunatic tries to activate on the surface and all of the guns. Anything less guarantees a blood bath."

Ahsoka looked taken aback. "Do you really think they'd activate the hyperdrive on the planet?"

"Only if they figured they had nothing to lose. They might figure if they can't have Coruscant, neither can we. And...I wouldn't be so sure there aren't any ships near Coruscant. It's near enough the deep core hyperlanes that they could be hiding backup there."

The comlink signaled. "Luke, I need to talk to you, can you come to the command center?"

"On my way." Luke looked into his Father's eyes. "Are you coming?" Luke motioned to the mission files.

"Yes." He replied, reluctance in his voice.

As Luke rose to go out, he glanced back at him. "Think we can persuade this Admiral to tell us anymore?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"If we can convince him of the truth about Palpatine. If he realizes the Empire's founded on a lie, he's a good officer. He'd be an asset."

"How did you get him to talk in the first place?" Ahsoka asked as Luke left.

He rolled his eyes.

"That didn't come out right."

"It came out fine. It's just that everyone asks that. I'm just a bit oversensitive I guess. Anyway, I just asked when he was distracted by pursuing hungry beasts and painkillers."

Ahsoka's eyes brightened. "I could use a break from these files. Are you up for some sparring? Or did the critters wear you out?"

"Well, no. They didn't." He smiled. "Let's go. More fresh air."

His blue eyes were very bright.

_to be continued_


	4. Chapter 4

Anakin and Ahsoka went out, strolling back to a grassy area set up with various natural obstacles. The Jedi and the Alliance soldiers had set it up as a training and therapy area for recovering injured on one side and a shooting range and exercise area on the other. It was empty now. Bringing out training lightsabers, he and Ahsoka did battle, leaping and whirling, shifting from form to form and occasionally complimenting each other on good moves. A few of the injured in therapy as well as medics watched from the side, appreciating the show of colorful sparks at the clashes. Had it not been for the joking and banter, anyone would've thought they were trying to kill each other. In fact, it was a wonderful aid in working out their frustrations with troublesome politicians. Thoughts of war, politics and potential future blood baths vanished into a deep union with the Force itself. Their bodies merged into a blur of harmonious dance, attack, retreat, defend, leap and spin as if to music only they could hear. Finally they faded to a stop, grinning.

The onlookers were clapping in appreciation. They lightly twirled the saber hilts back on to their belts in a matching gesture.

"Well, I feel a lot better. Whatever happens, the Force always finds a way to balance." Ahsoka smiled, eyes very bright.

Anakin nodded firmly at her. "In spite of our failures." He took a deep breath. "And that is very comforting." Because it was far too big a responsibility to think only the Chosen One, or even his family, could do it.

Anakin sat at the table with Bail, Luke, Leia, Ahsoka, Calrissian, Solo, Obi-Wan, and Padme. No Fey'lya, not even Mon Mothma present.  
"I don't like leaving her out of this." Padme admitted.

Bail shook his head. "Plausible deniability." He glanced around the table. "We're trying to become a legitimate government. But those who are already taking steps to form it, don't want to believe we're so far away from total victory over the remnant. Force knows we had a hard time shifting from just undercover discreet talk to real action in the first place."

Obi-Wan nodded. "The balance for us all has always been difficult to maintain, between government, military and even the Jedi Order. Civilian government has a right to know, yet their refusal of the facts may prevent needed action."

Anakin felt Padme's hand grip his under the table. "Look, the primary reason we know the danger is because of Anakin. But even if we tell them how we know, they may not believe. In fact..." her voice shook, making him eye her in concern.

But it was Bail who completed the sentence. "Councilor Feylya is pushing to have you put in lock down, even go all the way to trial and renege on your parole.

Anakin's brows rose then dropped into a scowl. He gripped Padme's hand tighter. "Did I do something to offend them since we started this?"

"No." Padme said firmly. "It's the fact that the Empire has that wanted poster out on you, which means your intel is no longer going to be up to date."

"We've found out more about that." Bail stated. "And your image gets worse. Someone impersonating Vader has gone on a murderous rampage, taking out groups that have come over to us, or vacillating officers."

"Impersonating Vader?"

"The suit, the actions...he moves like a Jedi or he's good at faking it. He wears the suit. We know where you were at the time, so you have an alibi. But some of the advisory council either don't believe us or only care about the way it will look to the public if it comes out."

"Oh?" Anakin looked at him sharply.

"There are two prices out on you, higher alive but still pretty high dead. Some are saying it's an internal battle between Imperial factions. The higher ups...your Admiral Piett...admit the classified version says you killed the Emperor."

Anakin's brows rose at this. He was surprised they'd want him alive enough to pay more. Kill or capture on sight. Deliver directly to Byss."

Anakin cringed and paled. "Byss?"

Bail nodded.

Anakin's fists tightened. Padme gripped his hand tighter and Obi-Wan looked at him carefully. "We won't let that happen, Anakin."

Anakin sucked in a deep breath. "I can't go to Byss alive or dead. I know what goes on there. It's a dark side world. Science experiments, cloning experiments, monster creation with Sith alchemy..."

"Knowing this, you should rethink the trip to Coruscant." Obi-Wan's voice was soft.

Padme looked at him.

For a long moment he was silent, glancing around the table. "Does anyone else here think they can do it? I mean, get it, sabotage that ship, get the data...get out...before the attack?"

Silence. Finally Leia asked, "Do you really think you can?"

"I know I've got a better chance than anyone else, just because I know where I'm going and the multiple ways to get there. It'll slow things down a lot if I try and chart it on maps. Some of the passages aren't even on maps, they're secret! Besides, I can't just sit back and let them have their way. I need to know who is behind this. Blast it, I know I killed the Emperor!" He looked at Luke for confirmation. His son nodded.

"And he's not going alone." Ahsoka said firmly.

Obi-Wan had an odd, unhappy look on his face.

"Obi-Wan, I wouldn't ask you to go." Anakin said firmly. "There has to be at least one Jedi here to keep the others from tumbling to our plan and having a fit."

"Rei is here."

"Rei isn't caught up on the situation and he's busy with his students."

"If you do this, it isn't officially sanctioned. It's not something you'd get permission for." Bail's eyes caught Anakin's and proceeded around the table. "Anyone who goes could be accused of treason or collusion. The only hope for avoiding it is finding proof of the Lusankya that the bothans either didn't find or willfully ignored. If we can't convince them before, we have to be able to prove inaction would've meant a disaster. Some of them won't be satisfied that we could not take even the chance. To them the whole concept is outlandish."

"That's a big accusation." Luke frowned.  
"I'm not making it, just warning you that there are some who would. Everyone has to be absolutely sure." His brown eyes held Anakin's. "And that means trusting you are telling the truth. "

Anakin sat back, arms folded on his chest. "I am."

"And anyone who goes has to be sure of you. And those of us who remain...well, either we're sure of you or trust the judgement of those going with you." Bail's eyes slid away, meeting Obi-Wan's.

"I am getting old and tired of fighting. I firmly believe the Jedi need to focus on rebuilding the Order. But we need the remains of Palpatine's Sith Empire gone to do it." Obi-Wan's eyes met Anakin's. "I will come with the fleet, if you need me."

"What about..." Anakin hesitated, thinking. He glanced at Padme and Bail. "If the others get wind of this, won't it turn them against the Jedi? Knowing so many are going?"

Obi-Wan snorted, surprising everyone. "It's true we need the backing of the government. But it's also true we sacrificed too many of our morals to political expedience, turned away from stones we should've turned over because the Senate ordered us too. If we had stayed true to our course, we would've discovered our danger in time to prevent catastrophe. The Sith hid in the one place we didn't look: the Senate. Ignoring the danger now, means multitudes of citizens will be killed, wounded and certainly not inclined to trust the new government.

Anakin glanced at Padme, who was frowning. "I wish I could go too. But someone needs to stay and deal with the planetary leaders. I am coming with that fleet though."

Leia and Padme both looked at each other. Then Leia glanced at Han. He nodded. "We're coming with you. You may need help with the sabotage. It's a very big ship."

"Very." Anakin nodded. "And we've got a lot to do."

"And I," Calrissian smiled, "get to take the Falcon and go poke along those deep core routes once you hand them over. Confirm whether that fleet is ready to jump out at us. If we're prepared maybe we can help."

Luke's eyes were wide and he shared a glance with his father. His lips twitched in a half smile. "Are you getting soft on us Han? After you knocked the sensor dish off, I thought you and Chewie wouldn't let Lando near her."

Han snorted. "Chewie is going with him. Not without some serious debate."

"Ah."

"We can't all leave at once." Ahsoka observed. "It would look suspicious. But if we want any chance, we have to get there before Rogue Squadron."

Anakin nodded slowly. "How are we working this then?"  
"Chewie and I'll drop Han and Leia off on the way to the Core. " Calrissian said.

"Luke? You riding with us or them?" Han motioned to Anakin and Ahsoka.

"Go with Han and Leia." Obi-Wan ordered suddenly. "With so few Jedi left, this is a dangerous time to congregate."

"We can meet up on the surface." Ahsoka acknowledged. "We'll go first."

"We can have you out of here in two days. Even though it's time sensitive, if you just hurry off, it'll look suspicious. Besides, we want to get a little more intel in on which leaders are on Coruscant." Bail's voice was calm.

"What if you don't get the intel in time?" Padme frowned.

"Every second we delay we get closer to too late. We can't wait more than two days."

"Let's try something different." Obi-Wan said. His eyes had a mischievous sparkle. They had one day to go before leaving and they were all fighting impatience.

"Uh oh." Ahsoka said. "What's he got in mind? Whenever he says that, he's up to something."

"A little sparring match. Show Luke and Leia how the Jedi used to spar. I've got a location in mind."

They were on the far side of the medical center. The Alliance had set up a small obstacle course here. The ground was hillier on this side and a creek ran past on the way to the ocean. It had rocks on one side and a pebbly beach on the other. It also had some heavy dips that were large enough to be waterfalls. A series of movable plasimetal walls and fallen trees, hauled from a distant forest completed the area.

"Best base we ever had." Luke observed.

Leia nodded agreement. But her eyes were already on Anakin and Ahsoka. The two were facing each other.

"Look." Luke nodded to the med center. A man peered out of an upper window.

Obi-Wan glanced up. "That's Admiral Piett. Apparently he has a room with a view."  
"Is that a good idea?" Leia asked.  
"I doubt he's going anywhere on that leg anytime soon."  
"I guess he's in for some entertainment."

Ahsoka and Anakin nodded and half bowed to each other before activating the training sabers. They circled each other in anticipation. Ahsoka's eyes sparkled as she aimed for a leg sweep, reversing as he moved to block, rolling and following through with a swing at his right side. He blocked, riposted, took a step back and blocked her counterstrike. He aimed a kick that she dodged by spinning and aiming with a backhanded strike that vibrated along his blocking blade. He rolled into and over and did a flip, sweeping her leg. She went down, rolling with it. He followed, stumbling over a branch that she grabbed with the Force and swept across his path. She lunged and nearly had him but he rolled over. He shied aside as her training saber struck a shiim mark across is shoulder. He yelped and swung, brushing her outer thigh. She yelped this time, leaned away but leaped and spun aiming a kick at him. He flipped over her and as he came up she dodged around and gave a swift force shove that toppled him into the water with a splash.

Anakin came up with an indignant huff and glared at her. She was smirking. Anakin countered with a sudden gleam in his eyes, force yanking her to the water. She planted herself with the Force, resisting the slide of her boots on slick pebbles. She shifted her blade, readying for his counter attack. He lunged, then bounced back a stride and Ahsoka yelled in surprise as a spray of water from the nearby fall was redirected out her. It drenched her tunic and her blade sizzled water into steam. Now he was the one smirking and he shot forward, swinging the saber and she barely got up and blocked in time, suddenly flipping over backward to disengage and behind a tree trunk. He leaped onto the top of the metal wall, it's rounded top made it awkward and Ahsoka reached with the force just enough to make his wet boot slip on the metal. He caught himself with a forward flip, spinning his saber and countering her blow. They tangled again, neither staying on top of the battle until Obi-Wan called a halt.

They were both wet, muddy, bruised and bore numerous shiim contact marks. They were also both grinning. Luke's brows were raised, impressed.

Leia's mouth hung open, shaking her head in amazement. "That was so fast in parts I could hardly follow it. I've just been worried about the lightsaber moves. And you're using the lightsaber and everything else too."

"That was fun." Ahsoka grinned.

Anakin just smiled, shaking his head. He pondered a minor shiim burn on his wrist. "That was an excellent blow." He peered at the one on his shoulder. "And that was even better."  
"Doesn't that hurt?" Leia was confused.

"Certainly. I think I better go deal with it. Wouldn't want to be hampered if we run into any action."

"Me too." Ahsoka glanced at her minor injuries.

Anakin found one of the medics on the second floor, letting the one on the first floor attend to Ahsoka. He intended to just find out how his rescued (or captured) Admiral was faring.

"My word." The medic was a mon calamari. "You Jedi play very rough."

"Better a minor burn from a friend than a mortal wound from an enemy." Anakin briefly considered that, for him, that had multiple meanings. Once upon a time, Obi-Wan nearly had dealt him a mortal wound and now he was rather grateful. He rarely dwelt on what would have happened, but he suspected if he'd had his full power and been free, he would have caused even more damage. The medical droid was just exiting one of the rooms. Anakin noticed the Admiral inside. He ambled over, ignoring the guard. "How's the leg?"

"Ah...better..." Piett stumbled over what to call him. He didn't know what to make of him. He was used to fearing Darth Vader. Having the man he intellectually knew had been Vader, make small talk and ask about his welfare was a new experience. "You were not exaggerating their skill."

"If they could heal me, they could heal nearly...ouch...anybody." Anakin looked at the medic, patching the shoulder wound. "Enjoy the show?" Anakin motioned to the window.

"It was certainly unusual." He blinked at Anakin's dripping damp clothes.

Anakin was wringing out his tunic, hopelessly. It was saturated.

A cleaning droid rolled in and squawked in dismay, scolding him in droid speak and rushing to clean up the water. It was equally displeased at the muddy bootprints I was leaving. Anakin blinked. "Oh. Sorry. I'd better clean up. Stay safe."

That left the Admiral gaping after him.

Anakin stayed with Padme that night. She was uneasy at his leaving. "I'm afraid for you, Anakin. I think it scares me worse that they want you alive."

"Yes." Anakin lay with his hands behind his head. "That can't be good." He kept blinking for a moment and then rolled onto elbow. "Keep an eye on Piett, will you?"

"You're going to try and win him over."

"If, and I know it's a big if, I can find evidence of Palpatine's role in the Clone Wars, it might convince him."

"Well, they might interrogate him, but I don't think they'll make any decision about him while he's still so badly injured. Even with bacta, that leg will need therapy."

"And he just got out of it from what I gathered. He'll be in better shape then when the Imperial fleet recalled him. The medics were already asking him if he wanted the scars healed when they took him into the med center. He was pretty confused by that."

"That's the difference between us and them. We do our best, even for prisoners. No-one is just cannon fodder."

Anakin smiled. "I hope he realizes that."

"Ani..." Her voice shook. "I'm worried about what happens afterward. Even if you prove you were right, the truth is leaking out." She laid her head on his side, feeling his heart beating. "And I don't trust some of the leaders not to renege on your parole once they don't need you any more."

"I know the risk. But next to the threat of the Empire and Byss, it's not so big."

"Don't underestimate the risk, Ani."

He kissed her hair. "Oh believe me. I don't underestimate politicians anymore!"

Early the next morning, Obi-Wan and Anakin took time out to do some meditation. Anakin paused for a long moment. "Now I'm the one going."

"Yes." Obi-Wan clapped hands on Anakin's shoulders. "And I am very proud of you." But he looked concerned. "It takes strength to come and stay in the light."

"That means a lot. But..." Anakin looked into his eyes. "I am afraid. Afraid of someone getting me back to Byss." He admitted.

Obi-Wan nodded. "I know. But as long as you acknowledge it, you can resist it."

Anakin pulled him into a sudden embrace. "Thanks. I'll see you soon."

"Force willing, you can count on it."

Anakin and Ahsoka boarded the ship and flew away. He'd already said a reluctant farewell to his wife. Normally, she'd have seen him to the ship. This time, she didn't dare draw attention to his departure.

_to be continued_


	5. Chapter 5

Ahsoka sighed deeply as they hit hyperspace. She leaned back in the cockpit seat. "So. Got a plan?"

"Working on one. There's a maglev tunnel connected to a secret entrance by the museum, comes out near the old section on the Jedi."

"It's still there? That part they put in during the Clone Wars?"

"Yes. Pretty well wrecked, and sealed off, but it hasn't been converted for anything else. Not last I'd heard. I'm going to do some meditating before we get there." He added.

Anakin was not particularly expecting company. Force spirits rarely showed up and so far only Qui-Gon had done so. Yoda was a surprise.

"Into great danger you go."

Anakin eyed the small creature, warily. "Do you know what lies ahead?"

Yoda did not respond for a moment. "Always in motion is the future. Choose your path, only you can."

"I'm always going into great danger. I gather you mean something different."

Yoda's eyes held his. He leaned on his stick and idly Anakin wondered why a Force spirit would need a crutch. "Two choices you will face. Neither good. Both will lead where you do not wish to go. Dark in the Force is Lusankya, hidden in more ways than you know."

Anakin frowned. "Can't you just tell me?"

"Know everything I do not. But great care you must take." He cocked his head and his ears moved. "Believe I do that a lost treasure you will find."

"Well I hope I find something to make dark places and bad choices worthwhile!"

* * *

Weaving carefully through Coruscant's skies, they kept close watch on the ships in orbit. Artoo was with them, at Luke's insistence.

"Only two star destroyers guarding the Capital?" Ahsoka queried doubtfully.

"Or so they would have us believe." Anakin ducked close to a robotic freighter's sensor shadow, keeping a good distance from the destroyers. TIE patrols buzzed past and he kept alert in the Force to rotate around the freighter where they couldn't be seen.

They followed the freighter's sensor shadow through the sky. Below them, lights scattered across the planet's dark side.

"Looks the same from here, at least." Ahsoka observed. They set down in a little used hanger, but in a district with lots of space traffic heading to other hangers. "Where are we?"

"I used this for my agents. It's not on any records." He sounded uneasy and they'd barely landed.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm a little twitchy at going to the museum."

"What if you're recognized?"

"Guess I'll have to go in disguise."

"As what?"

He hesitated. "Well, the good news is, they think I'm all scarred up still."

"But still, you look enough like yourself now they might know you. At least as Anakin Skywalker, Jedi."

Anakin headed for the back of the ship and kneeled by a trunk. Sorting through the gear, he came up with a bounty hunters garb.

"Ah. Hide amidst the hunters." She said.

"Not a thought I prefer."

"I'll wait outside, do a bit of recon."

When Anakin came out, he wore a cap and visor, with a pair of shaded blue tinted goggles to hide his blue eyes. He also wore a simple brown uniform with light armor and dark boots with a blue stripe on the side. A blaster rode his hip and his lightsaber was hidden inside the vest. Not impossible to reach but not easy either. Ahsoka looked him over. "That might do it." She said uncertainly.

"The suit has changeable sides. Handy color inside, it should blend in with the standard staff uniform."

Ahsoka swiped her own suit. Her own was a similar color, equally hidden beneath a heavy cloak and tool belt.

"Let's head out and get the feel of the place. May as well see how we do."

They headed for the lower levels to start. They found a mixture of species on this level. Anakin's eyes were very bright.

"It's not so bad here." Ahsoka said. "I see plenty of humans mixing with the other species."

A wide array of smells hit them. Good food, food no human would touch, garish lights and a wild array of clothes and vehicles went by. Helmets, antenna, fur and scales mingled along the streets.

"We're at the intersection to the alien quarter." Anakin said quietly. "Non humans have been driven out of some areas of the city."

"I'm starving. Let's get some food."

They found a small cafe catering to a wide variety. A few fights and squabbles broke out nearby, but nothing fatal. The food was decent as was the drink. The babble of various languages was all around.

Ahsoka glanced around carefully. "What are we going to do until the others get here?"

"Let's go..."

"Where?"

Anakin winced. "My...office..." He glanced around warily.

She blinked. "Oh. Are you sure your nosy colleagues won't look for you there?" She glanced around, cautious of speaking plainly for fear of being overheard.

"Kind of hoping they'll think I wouldn't go anyplace so obvious."

"Right." She said slowly. "That might depend on whose in charge." She glanced at Artoo, who was keeping a watch for anyone too interested in overhearing the conversation.

"Pretty sure Isard won't expect it. She's in charge here, not Thrawn. He'd be smart enough to put a careful guard on. But she's way too arrogant to take his advice."

* * *

Luke went through some Jedi training exercises, fully focused on the Force. It would've been easier to do them in private. But he had no time to seek out a place. They would be leaving soon. Obi-Wan watched with an occasional word of advice or acknowledgement. Finally he put up the lightsaber and a salute and just stood, meditating for a moment. Finally he put it up. Glancing around, he noticed Admiral Piett watching, partially balanced with a light grip on a floater assistant droid, allowing him to put just a light weight on his leg. He also wore a leg brace that let him to limp forward lightly, giving the leg just enough weight to keep the muscles from atrophying. There were guards watching, of course. But they didn't feel concerned. The place was relaxing. What's more there was no way in the galaxy the admiral would get far on that leg.

"Hello, Admiral. Feeling any better?" Obi-Wan queried.

"Yes." The man scratched his cheek. "Your medics are indeed efficient."

"You probably realized that as soon as you saw what they'd done with Anakin." Obi-Wan smiled.

"I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the realization that it's him...who he was..." Piett paused, looking around. "And yet, I know it is...some things are the same. The sheer authority, that confident stride, his stance..."

Obi-Wan nodded.

Luke finally put his lightsaber up completely, plunking down on a nearby bench and picking up a water canteen and taking a long drink. "Can you tell us anything about who is behind all this?"  
Piett was silent. Finally he said, "You're interrogation technique is rather unusual."

"Interrogation technique?" Luke mused in surprise. "I'm only asking."

"Why should I answer?"

"You answered Father before."

Piett blinked rapidly as it sank in that Luke was calling the man he knew as Vader, "Father."

"He had the advantage of surprise. I was accustomed to being under his authority and I was drugged and in pain."

"He saved your life and made sure you received treatment." Kenobi said mildly. "And any crime you may have committed under his authority he has already taken responsibility for. He thinks rather highly of you."

"He does?" Piett was genuinely surprised.

"You honestly believe in the Empire?"

"I do."

"What if you knew it was based on a lie? That it was Palpatine himself that worked with Count Dooku and Grievous to begin the Clone Wars to put himself in power and destroy and discredit the Jedi?"

Piett was silent.

"I know you don't believe it now. But if it was proven, would you still believe in a government created entirely on a lie?"

"I..." He hesitated. "I can't imagine you being able to prove that."

"Anakin is the ultimate witness. He's willing to find that evidence if it proves the truth to you."

"Why?"

"He thinks you are worth it. That you can do better. That you really want peace and justice." Luke replied.

"I don't know what to say. That is...not the man I remember or knew."  
"Had you ever heard of Anakin Skywalker?"

"I heard he was the best and worst to serve under. Best because he never asked his men to do what he wouldn't. And he would risk his life to protect them. And the worst because he was so unconventional and a rule breaker..."

Piett's voice trailed off as he sat down. "Now that I think about it..."

Luke's eyes were bright. "Vader was the same?"

Piett nodded. He didn't seem to care about his men, but he was primarily ruthless to incompetents and those who thought political connections were sufficient. He rewarded those who did their jobs well. And while he wasn't known for disobeying the Emperor, he didn't exactly follow common conventions."

Luke was smiling. "See?"

"That's Luke's way of saying he knew that Anakin Skywalker was still somewhere inside Darth Vader. And by the way, 'I told you so', is not a polite Jedi response."

"I'm not gloating. I'm just proud of him for having the courage to come back. I know what it cost him."

"The leadership of an Empire?" Piett asked.

"It nearly cost him his life. They healed him enough to free him of the suit, or he would have died. He took the fatal blow the Emperor meant for his son." Obi-Wan informed him.

Luke's comlink signaled. "Luke, we're ready to go." It was Han.

"I'll be right there." He bounced up and headed for the hanger. "See you."

"May the Force be with you." Obi-Wan replied, arms crossed.

Piett stared after the young man. "He has a son. The man I knew as Darth Vader has a son. Was he married?" And then he flinched, startled at having dared ask.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Let's just say he knows what it's like to be in love. Something the Emperor took great pains to make him forget. Obviously, he didn't quite succeed."

"He did it for him, didn't he?" He motioned after Luke. "Turned on the Emperor?"

"Yes. He knew he'd been lied to, but he really didn't have anything left he felt strong enough to fight for. Not until he found out about Luke. He thought he'd lost his family. Then he realized he hadn't, and he'd been separated because of Palpatine. He stepped in right when Palpatine would've killed him."

"You've forgiven him. For his turning on you and the other Jedi."

"Yes. Perhaps it's easier for those of us who remember him before he fell, who knew what he wanted to be." Obi-Wan left the man to his therapy. He smiled as he walked away. The Admiral's utter confusion was obvious, and a good sign. He was no longer sure what to think of the Empire or Vader. It was a step in the right direction.

* * *

Luke fiddled with the training remote on the Falcon. Stepping back, he tossed it up. Leia was straining to hear and feel it with a helmet on, blast shield down. Her long hair spilled out just past it in a braided bun. Her hands were gripped around the training saber. A few orange red shots zinged at her. She yelped in pain, swinging too late. She stepped back and tried to rebalance in the Force.

"Stop using your ears. Use the Force. You've done it before."

Leia hesitated, gently tilting her sword into an on guard position. It feinted right, left, zoomed up...and Leia shifted the training saber and the laser bolt's bounced off in rapid succession.

Luke stopped the remote, smiling. "See, that was fine."

She sighed as she pulled the helmet off. "What Anakin said about Byss is...unnerving. Mon Mothma seems to think that we should send someone in to check it out."

Luke frowned. "From what Father said, it's...a dangerous place for anyone, but especially a Jedi."

"I hope...he and Ahsoka are all right."

"That's the first time you've ever expressed concern for welfare."

She sighed. "Well, I wouldn't want him to go back to being Vader."

"Me either."

* * *

Anakin and Ahsoka, clad in worker's clothes and bearing packs, clamored through the sewers beneath the palace of a former Dark Lord of the Sith.

"I am surprised you bothered to learn the codes to get through your sewers." Ahsoka teased lightly, breathing through a mask to keep out the stench.

"It was paranoia. There's a secret exit down here. I'm the only one who knows about it. I think." His nose was wrinkled and he was regretting his decision to not use the mask. He hated anything that made him feel cramped, as if he still wore Vader's helmet, but this smell was overwhelming.

"You think?" Ahsoka challenged softly. "'You think' you're the only one? She winced as a large scaled creature scurried through the shadows. The swish of the muck in the tunnel met her ears, but she didn't dare risk being overheard. They're voices might echo.

"Let's say the droid's that worked on it all had memory wipes and the designer...well...he won't talk either...it's not on the blueprints."

"Oh." Ahsoka didn't ask for further clarification.

Artoo let out a grumbling beep as he swished through the sewer muck.

"Just be thankful you don't have our kind of smell, Artoo. It's nasty." Ahsoka replied.

Anakin keyed in the code to one of the sewer grates. They were in, shut the gate behind them and carefully Anakin led them forward taking the left branch of the tunnel and then started to climb up inside a giant pipe. Then he triggered a hidden plate on the wall. A door slid silently open. Gratefully they quickly left the sewer tunnel behind. This path was mercifully dry and clear. Ahsoka pulled the mask off. "Ugh. I can still smell it."

Anakin snorted. "I think you're smelling us." He pulled the backpack off and rummaged through it to pull out a clean pair of boots.

"I am so glad you thought of this." Ahsoka also exchanged boots. "And here I was worried about them recognizing our faces. I should've been worried about them noticing how we smelled!"

They left the ruined boots behind rather then putting them in packs. They also left behind a large spray bottle and a pile of rags, with which they'd carefully cleaned Artoo. A mucky droid rolling through the palace would've looked out of place. They were, hopefully, planning on leaving this way.

"Anakin? If your palace had a secret entrance, what about the Emperor's?"

"Affirmative."

"Oh. That could be very handy for our side, if it comes to that."

"Very likely, as long as they don't know we know."

He easily took turns through the secret tunnel, finally pausing near the data center. "What do you think? Take the one in my meditation center and office, the one in my old quarters or one of the sub offices?"

"Can they all get to the same data?"

"With the right codes..." He said slowly. "Why didn't I think to put a terminal in here?"

"If you had and someone tracked the data lines, they'd find the tunnel."

"Yes, but it's possible they have a monitor on my old haunts. The mysterious controller of it all might've thought of it."

"Are we going through with it?"

"I am. You're waiting here."

"Now wait a minute. It's you they are looking for."

"I'm also the only one who knows what I'm looking for." He countered firmly. "And I might need backup. If I walk into a trap, who else is there to get me out?" He cocked a brow at her and gave her a confident grin.

"Oh. That's..." she shook her head scowling in disapproval. "You're trying to flatter me into it."

"No, I really believe it."

"I know, but still. If anything happens to you, guess who has to tell your family?" She winced. "Not nice."

"Then we better not let anything to happen to me. Here, Artoo, hold this will you?" Anakin slid his lightsaber into the secret compartment in his dome.

_to be continued_


	6. Chapter 6

Anakin slipped into the nearest barracks, mindful of security cams. He used the Force to blur the sensors briefly. He'd done it before a million times, on missions as a Jedi, as a husband who knew what a scandal it would cause if their marriage was discovered. Even as a boy playing tricks on his Jedi Master. The people were harder. He avoided them as much as possible, which is why he ducked into the laundry of the barracks rather than hitting the main area. The droids were busy cleaning and drying and it was easy to snatch a uniform that fit and was dry. He left behind a confused droid that never saw where the missing outfit went, only knowing it was somehow one short of it's load.

From there, he strode steadily and confidently in one of the computer rooms and started attacking files. He had a lot of data to search through and not much time. Worse, he had to be careful how he found it, lest someone had flagged certain search patterns. It was an unpleasant thought. He really didn't think that highly of Isard doing that. But he could be wrong. And with Thrawn, Mara Jade and an unknown player involved, he shouldn't take any chances

It took a whole lot of digging in discreet areas. Creating a communications tunnel between this computer and another one on Coruscant took time. Then he created another tunnel from that computer, straight into the Emperor's palace. Then he used those computers to dig through the information he needed. Without Artoo, it would've taken even longer. The droid whizzed through information, absorbing information and recording at high speed. Long range transmissions from Byss. High ranking communiques especially. He especially dug into any between Isard and Thrawn. He also found various Imperial scientists, most recently General Evir Derricote. He didn't hesitate to access communications to and from the Lusankya. Then he dove into the ships computers. Finally he downloaded the maintenance logs from the Lusankya itself. He hesitated then. Was that everything they needed? Not quite. He started downloading data, everything he could find from the archives regarding the Clone Wars, secret files and communications, things that, had the Jedi had access too, would've revealed Palpatine's true identity and his complicity and intentional instigation of the Clone Wars. He wouldn't know if he had everything unless he read what he had, and he didn't dare linger and read it all. He needed to leave before anyone discovered his meddling. He took a few moments to cover his tracks, backing out of all of the systems and erasing the evidence of the codes he'd used.

Rising, he hurried back out and worked his way back to where he'd left Ahsoka. Suddenly alarms started ringing. He could sense the sudden heightened alertness, worse, it was directed to this area.

"All personnel, remain at your stations until otherwise ordered. All identification will be confirmed. Anyone out of their assigned area, remain where you are and be prepared to show identification."

Anakin's eyes widened. He kept fuzzing the holo cams. But even that might be noticed. He broke into a Force powered sprint, heading back to a secret exit that would lead him back to Ahsoka. He hurtled around the corner, dodging for the hallway he needed. The clatter of stormtrooper boots resounded behind him.

Anakin spun around uneasily. They were right behind him. Running would look suspicious. He stopped.

"Halt!"

Anakin stiffened as they came into sight. His blue eyes widened innocently.

"Why aren't you at your station! Show identification!" The commanding officer with the stormtroopers was of an alarmingly high rank. A

Anakin cautiously handed over his ID, hoping the Empire hadn't tumbled onto all the new ones the Alliance had created using his credentials to hack in.

"Why aren't you at your station!"

Anakin's mind whirled. "My droid assistant is malfunctioning. Heading to the droid repair for a fix, Sir. " Anakin was internally swearing that he hadn't used a higher ranked ID than the officer before him.

"What's your post? Whose your commanding officer?"

"Commander Lynier, Sir." Anakin said calmly, referring to another roving and false ID. This one was with the Imperial Internal Security Bureau. Messing with them could get an officer in deep trouble. The officer knew it and visibly blanched. One of the stormtroopers nudged the commander and handed back the ID.

"You are clear. Get where your going and stay there. We're in lockdown, there's an intruder."

Anakin nodded. "Yes sir, thank you sir."

"Give Lynier my regards."  
"Yes sir." Anakin replied as the troops hurried on. He could sense Ahsoka closing on his position.

Turning, he hurried to the closest entrance, glanced around, and hurried in. He nearly bumped into Ahsoka.

"Are you all right? When the alarms went off, I was worried. How did you get by those troops?"

"Yes. I don't know how they got tripped. I told them I was with ISD. No-one wants to mess with them."

"That was close. So are you planning any more death defying stunts?"

"First let's get to a secure place to check out what I already found. Then I'll see if I need to perform any more death defying stunts." He replied cheekily.

"Great." Ahsoka said. "I don't suppose there is a better exit than the sewers?"

"Not really."

"Figures."

Artoo squawked in unhappy agreement.

By the time Han set the Falcon down, under false ID, Luke was practically ready to run.

"Easy kid, you got the location we're meeting them?"

"Yes."

Han turned to Lando and Chewie. "You guys take good care of the Falcon."

Chewie let an unhappy grumble. He wasn't happy at leaving Han here, but then again, Han wanted him to care for the Falcon. And of course, that mission was important too.

"We'll take care of ourselves too." Lando said dryly.

"May the Force be with you." Luke said firmly, glancing at Han, who was casting worried looks at his ship. The Falcon looked the same as ever, except for a few cosmetic hull alterations, purely to make it a little less identifiable as the most famous ship in the Alliance.

"I'm sure the Falcon will be fine, Han." Leia grabbed his arm and started to steer him away. "Take care, Lando, Chewie." Luke said.

Luke, Leia and Han zipped through the drizzle of Coruscant's lower levels. The battered but serviceable air speeder was courtesy of a local Alliance sympathizer Leia knew. Water splattered the windscreen as Han steered. It was hard to tell if it was raining up above or not. For all they knew, it could've stopped by now and just taken this long to hit them. "Been a long time since I was here." Han remarked softly.

"Are you sure you still know you're way around?"

"Baron Vondo's Luxury suites, right?"

"Yes."

"Somehow this doesn't look like a place to find anything labeled 'luxury' suite." Luke remarked, considering the dilapidated buildings.

"It was probably luxury when it was built...a couple of centuries ago." Leia replied.

"And a couple of layers of skyscrapers ago." Han added.

"There it is." Leia pointed.

Han left the speeder lane and landed in the parking area. A lighted sign flashed overhead. It read "Baron Vondo's Lux... Suit..."

"Lux Suit?"

"Not doing good enough business for sign repair I imagine." Leia noted.

"Probably that's why." Han noted, motioning to the variety of clientele. "Establishments that cater to non humans tend to get penalized."

Leia nodded. "Higher taxes and tariffs. Less human business."

Luke just shook his head in bewilderment at the bias. The three kept hoods up and hands on weapons as they strode confidently through the door. Luke stayed alert for anyone watching. He sensed no particular interest. Turning his sense forward, he searched for his father and Ahsoka. He frowned when he couldn't locate them.

"Third floor, corner suite, this is it."

"Hey. Bigger than I expected." Han looked around the room. It really was suite size, fairly large with a couple of bedrooms. That was as far as the luxury went however. It didn't look like it had been redecorated for a hundred some years. The beds and furniture were sagging and the blankets threadbare. The only thing new was the computer terminal and even that, on closer inspection, appeared to be patched.

Artoo turned and bleeped excitedly at them.

"Hey Artoo, where's my Father? Where's Ahoska?"

The droid's whistled answered was translated on one of the computer monitors. Anakin and Ahsoka were investigating suspicious communications between Isard and General Derricote. They had retrieved the blueprints for the Lusankya, confirmed the entrances, found a terrifying amount of evidence that Palpatine was complicit in the Clone Wars. They were still going through the information in hopes of figuring out who the new leader was. But it was the communication with General Derricote that had Anakin immediately concerned. The man had a specialty in bio weapons and some of the information they'd found, suggested they were creating one.

"Bio weapon?" Leia gasped. "On Coruscant? Of all the insane..."

"So who said the Empire was sane?" Han snorted.

"Let us see those files, Artoo. Maybe we can help," Luke urged.

Anakin and Ahsoka hovered near the building, circling it yet again. They'd already checked even the sewer below, the surroundings and the ventilation. They'd taken careful note of what and who was taken in. It had medical hazard level safeties on pipes that bypassed the local sewers, leaving only the main connected.

"This is bad." Ahsoka said. Her eyes were wide in her covering hood. "It's so dark. Pain. Death."

Anakin's eyes were narrow. "Suffering. This is a lab. They're doing medical experiments in there."

"On sentients too."

Anakin nodded. "Non humans. That's the third sullustan. The fourth wookiee." His arms were folded in the long sleeves of his robe as they casually continued walking.

"What do we do?"

"From the urgency I'm sensing in there, they are on a deadline. They must know the Alliance has to come for Coruscant. They want it done in case they need to retreat." Anakin frowned. The thought nagged him in warning.

"And whatever they are working on, has to be done by then." Her voice was troubled. "Think it'll only affect non humans? But why do it at all...some kind of scorched earth policy in case they have to fall back?"

"Could be. Either way, it's divide and conquer."

"The Alliance won't split along species lines." She said firmly.

"It doesn't have too. If they take Coruscant, the people here won't necessarily be members of the Alliance. And they'll be suffering. The Alliance loses it's mobility and is tied to a sick planet, forced to divide it's attention between freeing planets, healing the sick and putting together a government."

"That's diabolical." Ahsoka frowned too. "How do we stop them?"

"Kill the disease, before it gets out." He said slowly. "That's the easy part. It's the disease in the test subjects that's the issue. We can't leave them there if we want to stop the experiments. And we can't just free them without risking whatever their infected with will spread."

"Bad. Very bad." Ahsoka whispered. "Did it ever happen...under you? One of these things gets out, I know the Empire experimented..."

"Yes." Anakin said grimly. "On Falleen."

"What was done about it?" Ahsoka phrased the question carefully, not wanting to imply an accusation.

Anakin stopped, eyes on the ground. His eyes were sad, lips turned down. He looked her in the eye. "We razed the city from orbit."

Ahsoka stared back at him. He'd given the order. She didn't need to ask.

"The scary thing is..." Anakin said slowly, "I don't know that I had a choice. I honestly don't know how else we could've stopped it. It was highly contagious, always fatal."

"I'm sorry." Ahsoka whispered.

"The price of fooling around with bio weapons." Anakin said tiredly.

"We need a better solution, this time."

"Yes. We do."

_to be continued_

* * *

_Note: Evir Derricote and some of this chapter and the next are inspired by a "what if" involving events from X-Wing Rogues Squadron novels. _


	7. Chapter 7

"Father!" Luke spun from the table where he was eating dinner from a nearby diner. "We wondered where you two had gotten to."

Anakin's smile flickered. But the grim demeanor of the two had Luke instantly alert.

"Well, what's the bad news?" Leia frowned, arms folded and looking between them.

Anakin and Ahsoka glanced at each other as they stripped off their outer robes. "General Derricote is creating a bio weapon, right here on Coruscant."

"Right now?" Leia's eyes widened. Her arms unfolded, fists clenching in distress.

"Right now." Anakin confirmed. "We found the lab, labeled as a pharmaceutical office. They were taking captives in...none were human. It could be they mean to go with a divide and conquer philosophy. If they were forced off Coruscant, they would leave the Alliance with a bunch of sick, scared, non humans."

"So we have to stop that too." Han frowned. "I thought we had enough on our plate.""We could destroy the virus with a fire."

"Oh. Yes. Easy." Ahsoka said dryly. "Except for what to do about the test subjects."

"The sentient test subjects." Anakin said gloomily.

"Okay, so we need to break into an Imperial lab, evacuate the test subjects while keeping them quarantined, and destroy the virus." Luke said slowly.

"And retrieve the records." Anakin said slowly. "You may need them to treat the test subjects, if there isn't a cure or vaccine."

"And still deal with the Lusankya before the Rogues get here." Leia frowned.

Han turned to Anakin. "You outranked Isard."

"Yes. Your point?"

"Can you get access to Isard's codes? Maybe we could fake a transfer order for the test subjects?"

"If they check on it verbally, they'd be on to us. That could put them on alert." Anakin pointed out.

"What about forcing an evacuation?" Luke suggested. "Some sort of generator leak?"

"It would have to look natural..."

"Speeder accident!" Han suggested. "Plow right into the building."

"Need to be awfully careful." Ahsoka observed. "We want to kill the virus, not the subjects. And we sure don't want that virus to leak out."

"All right." Han said slowly. "I've got an idea...if you two have got the lay of the place."

Anakin and Ahsoka eyed him warily.

* * *

Anakin and Ahsoka strode through the galactic museum with Leia. She did not feel happy. Of course, none of them were happy to have to wear disguises.

"I can't believe we left the two of them to deal with that, alone."

"Three. Don't forget Artoo." Ahsoka pointed out.

"I know, we didn't have time to stick together. But..." Leia just shook her head.

"We've halved our man power." Anakin acknowledged. "And we definitely could've used Artoo."

"He can do that computer tunneling thing again if he has too, right?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes. As long as it's connected to the planetary network. But it's not a hard line connection where we're going. If anyone catches on, they can disconnect."

Anakin casually led them into the largest wing of the museum. They would need to duck back into the closed off wing unnoticed. It was tucked behind this one. He stopped cold, shock emanating from him. "Oh no. What's this?"

Ahsoka and Leia came alongside. Their jaws dropped. Anakin's clamped shut, teeth grinding. His hands formed fists. The holographic Vader was giving a lecture on the Emperor's death, how in fact, the Jedi Luke Skywalker had murdered the Emperor, who had offered him clemency and Vader had given his life in his defense.

"Kind of the opposite of what that alert is saying, isn't it?" Ahsoka finally murmured. It was also ironic that Anakin looked like he wanted to Force choke Darth Vader.

Leia looked at Anakin who had a look of wide eyed horror. Finally his brow wrinkled and he growled. "I never sounded that sappy!"

"Well. Not about him, I'll bet. Maybe about Padme." Ahsoka murmured.

Anakin looked at her. "I never..."

"You may not say anything sappy in anyone's presence. You just feel kind of sappy in the Force."

Anakin's gaped at her, mouthing 'feel sappy?' Leia grabbed his arm and pulled him on toward their target area. They had to stop and listen to the holos and peruse the artifacts, or look suspicious. Finally with a careful Force induced sense of timing they had an instant when no-one was looking their way.

Ahsoka reached out with the Force, lightly nudging a pedestal of artifacts so they fell against the inner case security shields with a loud buzz. Guards and patrons turned to look. Anakin added to the show with a Force induced yank on the circuits of the Vader hologram. It flickered and sputtered out. Ahsoka gave a quick nudge of the holocams to keep them looking the other way as Anakin accessed the lock and they ducked back into the disused Jedi section of the museum.

The door shut behind them leaving them in darkness and silence. Leia sneezed. Dust motes whirled in the air. Pulling out a luma, Ahsoka looked around. "You were just dying to do that weren't you?"

"What?" Anakin inquired, innocently.

"Take out that hologram of Vader."

"Yes. I would've preferred something more spectacular, but I'm satisfied."

"I just hope no one is looking for you and finds it a bit too convenient." Leia pointed out.

"Unlikely." Anakin frowned uncertainly.

This whole wing of the museum was a mess. Anakin led them through the sad place, filled with broken statues and busts of Jedi knights, artifacts of campaigns, holograms that rose only to show static. A line of lightsabers lay in the display cases, almost invisible beneath a layer of dust.

Leia and Ahsoka both noted the lightsaber marks on some of the statues. Neither commented though Leia finally asked softly, "If the Emperor was a Sith, did he have a lightsaber too?"

Anakin nodded without looking back. "Most of the Jedi who went to arrest him found him very skilled at using it." He said sadly.

Ahsoka hopped over a fallen statue of an alien Jedi, glancing back with tear filled eyes. She touched Anakin's hand and gave it a squeeze. He gave her an appreciative glance. He could not share his guilt, it was his alone to bear, but they did share the grief. They had known these Jedi. His eyes fell on a familiar hilt, coated in dust. Halcyon's. A good friend, one who'd died in the War. He clenched his fist but resisted the urge to take it. If anyone checked back here, it would be conspicuous that the dust was disturbed.

Finally he opened an empty storage closet. Hitting a side switch, an interior door opened. They stepped through into a dead end and the room dropped straight down. It seemed to go for kilometers. Finally it opened to reveal a private mag lev line. They paused to study it.

"Everybody ready? It's a long, straight shot to the Lusankya." Anakin observed.

"Let's do it." Ahsoka said. "We've got a really big ship to sabotage."

* * *

Han finished reprogramming the battered droid they had made off with, as well as the speeder truck. A little sabotage of the speeder, a malfunction of the droid pilot, and it would crash straight into a main generator for the bio labs street, causing an apparent chain reaction that should cut power and cause a reversal in the labs vent system, blowing chemicals into the building. The chemicals would be courtesy of what was in the speeder truck.

Setting the droid in motion, he was gratified to see the whole street's lights wink out as it crashed the speeder and exploded. A plume of green and brown smoke billowed out, straight into the now exposed vent system by the generator. Sirens wailed. People in lab coats hurried out of the building's front entrance, emergency masks on.

From the sewer, a gloved and masked Luke hurried through a grate Artoo had opened. Then they went through the hatch. The door was a pressure door, and it resealed good and solid once he was through. Artoo plugged into the nearest console as a security droid buzzed in. It had no time to react before Luke's lightsaber streaked through it. He went through like an avenging angel, striking down droids left and right. He blinked when he was done, mildly disturbed. These droid's weren't all unlike Artoo or C-3PO. It was a shame for cutting them down for doing what they were programmed to do. But there were lives at stake and they might sound an alarm.

Hurrying down a corridor he could feel pain and suffering around him. "Not good, Artoo. Get that back door open."

The droid whistled and the back door slid open with a hiss. Han hurried in, masked. "Everything okay?"

"Hardly." Luke said.

Droids they had requisitioned and re-purposed followed Han in, along with a few more of Leia's friends. "Where are the victims?"

Luke was cringing in discomfort as he opened the cell doors. They were made of clear transparisteel with extra ray shields for security, not only to prevent the beings escaping. They held contaminants in too. The beings inside were obviously in pain and suffering. Multiple eyes looked at him. Groans were all around. A few didn't move, just lay still twitching in pain. Luke stepped aside as the droids helped load people onto stretchers. More than one reached for them, murmuring for help, for water, food, word of families.

"We'll do our best. We're here to help..." Luke said, feeling helpless.

Han was in the science area, placing charges gingerly.

"Don't just stand there kid, help me! This place gives me the creeps."

Leia's friends continued helping the wounded out. But not all were living to be moved. A few died even as they tried to move them. One literally started to disintegrate in decay before their eyes.

"Oh..." Luke groaned, backing away and hurrying to Han. He was going to be sick, first chance he got. "Hey Artoo, have you got it yet?"

The droid gave an affirmative beep. He rolled in, whistling and opened a cabinet.

"Hey! Hey are you sure that's safe?" Han demanded.

Artoo burbled an answer.

"Nearest thing they have to a cure is in there..." Luke said, carefully taking out a vial. They call the disease, The Krytos plague or virus or something."

"Well, grab the cure or-the almost cure-and the data files and lets blow out of here. Literally." Han was just as gloved and masked as the rest of them, but no-one wanted to take chances. This place was going up in a blaze. Hopefully it would be attributed, for a time, to a fire spread by the speeder crash through the vents. The smoke they were pouring in was flammable.

The two leaped out through the sewer, ignoring the back door for fear of drawing attention to the escapees. With Artoo sliding behind them, Han turned and fired at the vent nearest the door before slamming it shut. A slow hiss began behind them. It was a few moments before a massive explosion resounded.

"Let's hope that did it." Han said.

Artoo whirred worriedly.

"Yeah, Artoo, me too. Let's get that data and vial to the medics and see about catching up with the others."

Anakin, Leia and Ahsoka tumbled out of the mag car and entered another well appointed room. Anakin led the way to an elevator in the back. It was small, and fairly tight for all three of them. The elevator shot up and they all hesitated for an instant, feeling with the Force and listening. No sounds from within the Lusankya. Cautiously Anakin opened the hatch and climbed into what appeared to be private quarters. He strode out, glancing up and down a corridor every bit as standard as every other Imperial Super Star Destroyer. Then he ambled down the hall to the library.

"Where are all the people?"

"It's only got a token force. But given it's a Super Star Destroyer that's still a lot." Anakin said calmly. "I'd say engines, bridge, and the prison level. The prison level has the gravity reversed and is set up to look like it's underground. That way if anyone escapes..."

"They go the wrong way, assuming they are underground on a planet." Leia nodded grimly.

"Are we going to get the prisoners too?" Ahsoka asked.

"I think we have too much to do already. However if we miraculously have time, it would be nice." Anakin observed.

"Nice?" Leia said, staring incredulously at him. "I know what they do to prisoners." She fired at him. "Nice?"

"We know a lot more people will be hurt if we don't prevent take off. To say nothing of all the weapons," He countered.

"Maybe the prisoners could help?" Ahsoka pointed out.

Anakin shook his head. "Isard mixes the ones she's reprogrammed with the others. All it would take is one giving us away. And who says they won't just run and get an alarm sounded?"

"Even running they would distract them from us." Leia said, determined. "I say we try and get their help."

Anakin stared at her for a moment. Obi-Wan's voice echoing in his head. _"You can't save everyone, Anakin." _But oh how he had tried! It was ironic, sometimes, how Luke and now Leia sometimes echoed his earlier efforts and thoughts.

"You don't know what she's done to them, Leia...it's not just about breaking them with torture for information...it's literally twisting their minds, until they agree with her...or haven't the strength to resist."

"We have to give them the chance. You don't know that she's broken any of them! Do you?"

Anakin shook his head. "We could look it up..."

"There isn't time and you know it!" Her brown eyes met his. "This is my call."

He blinked hard and even Ahsoka looked stunned. Leia was pulling rank on him. His eyes held hers, in a staring contest. She had both hands on her hips.

Ahsoka swallowed slowly. "There are an awful lot of guns, to sabotage, Anakin. More than five thousand! Even with computer viruses to sabotage them and aiming at the main batteries..."

Anakin swallowed and nodded. The dangerous tingle he sensed when Leia had suggested it didn't go away. "This feels wrong. Dangerous." Actually, being an unsanctioned mission, there technically were no ranks. She couldn't really force him. But he didn't know how to refuse her.  
"Well it feels right to me!" Leia said. "We're doing it."

Anakin sighed. "Let's start with the computer virus and deactivating the external alarms and internal coms. Then I'll hit the engines while you two go for the prisoners." He cocked a brow at Leia. "Acceptable?"

She nodded. "Agreed."

Back on their hideout world, the Alliance base was bustling with energy. Admiral Piett gave a weary sigh as he looked up from the information he'd been given. Wherever he was, the man he knew as Lord Vader had certainly been busy, digging up the Emperor's private files from the Clone Wars era. He wondered what he was doing. The message had come on an encoded databurst, and shared with him by Kenobi. It was a bit mind boggling that Vader would take the time to find this just to convince him. However, it was somewhat less likely he'd bother to make up so much detail. He signaled one of the guards. "I'd like to speak to General Kenobi please."

_to be continued_


	8. Chapter 8

By the time Anakin headed for the engines, he sensed Luke on the way. There was a second magna rail car straight for the Executor from the Emperor's palace. He'd given them the codes and maps to reach it, as well as the back door schematics. Luke would be coming in nearer the command section and they would make sure the computer virus was propagating through there, as well as sabotaging the weapon batteries.

Anakin sighed, deeply. The quiver of the Force warning him had not faded. Striding through the Lusankya to the engines, he cast his senses out for the danger, trying to pinpoint it. But there were places he couldn't seem to touch, whether due to the Dark Side or something else. Working on the engines, he took a short cut. He repurposed a couple of droids to help. He knew the weak spots of an SSD's engines, none better, for the Lusankya was twin to Vader's own ship, Executor. And he had always made sure he was an expert on his own ship and his ship's power.

When Luke and Han arrived with Artoo, the massive malfunctions in various ships systems began. Confusion reigned among the crew as they sought, initially to find the bug. But when system malfunctions led to explosions, the stormtroopers and security led the charge to investigate and the prisoners were locked down. By the time they found external communications down from internal sabotage and jamming, they were scattered. Leia and Ahsoka made short work of the remaining prison guards, who weren't out chasing computer gremlins. Blaster fire bounced off walls and the malfunctioning holocams were blown away completely as Ahsoka's lightsaber deflected shots. Leia had a training saber, but she was busy blasting away with her gun in the other hand and taking down guards. She hurried to release the locks on the cave like prison. Confused faces peered out.

"We're here to rescue you!" She called.

For an eternally long moment, no-one moved. The poorly clad prisoners were barefoot, battered and poorly clothed in prison garb. To them she was an apparition.

"Princess?"

"General Dodonna!" Leia gasped, surprised to see a man she thought long dead. "Help me! We need to get everyone out."

A prisoner objected, "Princess, if we resist...we're dead. They'll take it out on him..." he motioned to the General.

"Leia, remember, they don't know where they are!" Ahsoka reminded her.

"Listen, you're on a ship...buried under Coruscant. It's a Super Star Destroyer and if it lifts off or starts shooting it will kill billions!"

"Impossible!" Someone scoffed.

"Not impossible! We had intel...but we couldn't confirm. The Alliance already has a team on the planet to get the shields down! We are taking this planet back from the Empire!" Her brown eyes narrowed insistently. "If we don't stop them, they'll wipe out a good chunk of the city on the way out!"

"I believe you, Princess." Dodonna said firmly. "What do you want us to do?"

"Help us sabotage the guns. We've already got someone sabotaging the engines."

"You sure he knows what he's doing?"

"Definitely." Ahsoka said.

"Are you really a Jedi?" Someone gasped, eyes falling on the lightsaber at her belt.

"Yes. I am."

Dodonna organized them into teams. Leia took one group, Ahsoka another. Leia started to work her way back toward the engines, directing her ragged group of rebels to destroy blasters. Thanks to their short work in taking out the guards, they had weapons and every stormtrooper that went down, another prisoner was armed.

Ahsoka headed with the somewhat larger group to the front of the ship. Eventually, she'd meet up with Luke and Han and the group was subdivided further.

Somewhere above the timer had ticked down. Rogue Squadron had managed to infiltrate a program into the computer core that let them hijack certain operations. And to top it off, they had their X-Wings smuggled in and destroyed the shields. The Alliance fleet roared out of hyperspace and took on the skyhooks, battle stations, TIE fighters from the system's base and the stationed orbiting star destroyers. Civilian traffic in space dodged frantically to escape the battle and air traffic in the atmosphere at all levels dodged wildly for the nearest landing places, hiding places and secure bunkers. X-Wings and TIE fighters mixed it up in the atmosphere. Soon they were joined by Y-Wings, B-Wings, A-Wings and assorted Alliance freighters armed to the teeth. There was no avoiding catastrophic side effects. Debris from explosions reigned down on the city and smashed through skyscrapers. Coruscant had not seen such intense action since the end of the Clone Wars.

Meanwhile, Lando and Chewbacca had roared out of hyperspace at the nearest system accessible in the deep core. Accessible wasn't saying much. Their eyes widened and Chewbacca let out an alarmed howl. Somehow, for all of Anakin's warnings not to underestimate Thrawn and company, they had not expected this. A battle fleet sat there and was charging toward them, obviously aimed for Coruscant and with hyperdrives already beginning to activate.

"Yow!" Lando whipped the ship around, for a split second wondering about those other nearby star systems. If this is what awaited them here...the idea of what might be waiting to jump out of the other nearby systems was terrifying. He and Chewbacca evaded weapons fire as they leaped back into faster than light speeds. For a long, stunned instant they stared at the hyperlanes rushing past. They looked at each other with matched alarm in their eyes.

On the Lusanyka, the engines began to thrum. Anakin's eyes rolled around, almost holding his breath. He knew he'd succeeded in destroying the repulsor cradle linkages but was it enough? The whole city around the ship rocked and quaked. Building shook and rattled crashing down on hapless victims. But the ship did not lift off. It tried to shoot it's way out of it's imprisonment and in some places this worked. It's engines tried to fire and heated up. They began to melt through the building's foundations behind it. But less then half the guns fired. Between viruses and battery sabotage, the rebels had done there work. Maybe it would be all right after all. Even as he thought it, he felt that ominous chill again. They were missing something.

Leia brought the training lightsaber up. It was blue and bounced weapons fire aside before she brought it down through another generator. She was down to only a few allies now. But what happened next she couldn't have predicted. The woman came in, Isard herself, weapon pointed at her. Leia spun toward her, lightsaber leading and suddenly hit the floor as something hit her from behind. She looked back in horror to see one of the former prisoners had attacked her. He had a strange look on his eyes. Isard was smiling coldly. Leia battled up from the floor, but she was at a disadvantage. Still, she'd never fought so hard or well. A kick here, a twirl of the training saber knocked two troopers out, but suddenly she was on the floor with Isard pressing a blaster to her chest as the lightsaber spun out of a suddenly numb hand. Isard was no longer smiling but she snarled "Bring her. We've lost our weapon and my ship but we won't leave without a consolation prize."

Leia reached into the Force, calling Luke...calling for help...calling Ahsoka...and wishing she'd had a real lightsaber.

Isard yanked her along charging through the corridor toward the hanger. She had an escape route.

"I warned you." The blue skinned man stated calmly, as she stormed into the hanger. His red eyes were narrow. "If Lord Vader is with them, he would know this ship as well as his own."

"Stop gloating and move your fleet in!"

"They are already on there way. And I have people hunting Lord Vader...with an edge."

For the first time, Leia reached into the Force and awkwardly called Anakin, trying to warn him.

Luke was racing for her position but he was on the other side of a ship the size of several city blocks and several floors away. Ahsoka was closer, Leia could feel her. Both had to battle through an armed crew, even the standard engineering and crew members had been armed.

The impending sense of danger was hammering at Luke and Ahsoka, binding them in the Force with a terrible sense of urgency.

Anakin had felt Leia's warning. He also felt he was being hunted. Nonetheless, she was in danger. And he could no more ignore that then he could turn himself into a Naboo swamp bird. His lightsaber was out now and singing a deadly humming song. He gave himself to the whirlwind of the Force, and Force sprinted to the hanger, deflecting blaster shots into every stormtrooper who saw him and took a shot. He charged in as they were shoving Leia in a shuttle. Coming from the side, he charged to cut them off, slamming a deadly blow through one of the stormtroopers and taking off the other's arm. Leia hit the ground, rolled and called the training saber to her hand from Isard's belt. She started deflecting laser blasts. What was that odd, hindrance in the Force? She grabbed a blaster and started shooting one handed. She had a growing sense of danger. Remembering Obi-Wan's lessons, she knew she shouldn't call on the Force in this when she felt her fear and anger rising. But it was no small thing to fight that and the external battle as well. Something to mediate, when she had time. If she had time. She saw Anakin out of the corner of her eye. He managed to move between her and most of the blows. She was backing away quickly. Ahsoka was coming, her presence a fast moving blur in the Force.

The shapes of the stormtroopers charging them were odd. A lizard like creature hung on a peculiar backpack they each carried. The Force was flickering like a short circuiting light. They were moving to block Leia and Anakin from the exit they backed toward and they were going to succeed. Both knew the risk and knew it was better to go down fighting.

Anakin's speed suddenly increased. His lightsaber became a blazing blue blur. No-one looking on would've thought the lizard like creature was having any effect on his powers. But in reality he felt weak. His breath felt short, he felt light headed and confused. Ysalamiri. The name finally floated up from his Jedi studies. Creatures that somehow blocked the Force. Probably perfectly explainable had the Jedi ever cared to research it scientifically. They had not. But he had a few advantages that went beyond the Force. Sheer, stubborn will power and combat experience counted too. He used every bit of it now. But they were still going to block them from the exit. Finally Anakin put everything he had into an overhead power leap and roll. He hit the ground perfectly balanced but very hard, slicing clean through the two nearest stormtroopers with ysalamir that were blocking the door. He leaped and kicked another, hit the ground and rolled, tripping two, was up again and charging. A shot got through, then another but Anakin ignored it.

Leia was at the door. She looked back.

"Go!" He roared. The troops were gaining again, Thrawn's troops, too kriffin many, he thought...moving to intercept and they would succeed. He scooped up a blaster. Leia was just on the other side of the door, waiting, motioning to him, shooting, resisting the need to fall back...Ahsoka was nearing, he could feel her flicker of presence in and out as he killed ysalamiri and stormtroopers. Ahsoka would be facing these things too. He aimed, fired in a single swift motion and blew out the door controls. Leia yelled as it thundered shut, leaving him trapped with Thrawn and Isard.

Anakin decided to go for the throat. Take out the leaders and distract the enemy. He charged for them, a whirlwind of death. He wasn't angry or frightened now, only determined. He wasn't happy about the death, he hated it, but he accepted it. They would not take his family and it would be better to go down in a blaze of glory then be taken alive. His shoulder blazed where one shot had hit home, another spot burned where one had glimpsed him. Something slammed into him from behind, they were trying to pile on him now. The hard stock of a rifle hit him and pain exploded in his head, making him dizzy. Suddenly a massive shock jolted him from behind and he lost his breath and went down, consciousness fading away.

Leia had almost frozen in shock as stared at the door. The sense of danger flared brightly as she was separated. She spun around looking for another way back to a hanger. She didn't take time to consider if she was afraid for Anakin for his own sake, or if it was the fear for what it would cost the Alliance. The shocking realization that he'd just sacrificed himself shook her. She was racing along connecting corridors which were nearly empty. Most of the troops were already in that hanger or dead. Ahsoka charged up so suddenly she nearly shot her.

"What happened? Where's Anakin?"

"In the hanger! Locked in, with them! Thrawn and Isard!" She came to life again, running for another route to the hanger.

"I'm having trouble sensing what's going on in there..." Ahsoka fretted, running alongside her.

Leia panted out a response. "There was...some kind of creature. The stormtroopers were carrying it. Whenever it got close, it got hard to sense the Force."

Ahsoka palmed a door switch, raced through a series of connecting rooms and suddenly her stride checked, for just a moment.

"Is it possible? To block the Force somehow? Or was it just me...he certainly didn't slow down..."

"There are creatures that affect the Force. It's possible."

"But it didn't seem to affect him...he didn't slow down..."

"I can't feel him." Ahsoka whispered, slowing to a walk. Her eyes were wide with fear.

The two hit the hanger bay from the side. They quickly dispatched the few stormtroopers with lizards on that side, but there were many more on the other, just breaking through the far door. But the thing that made there blood run cold was the sight of the shuttle vanishing out the door.

Ahsoka opened her mouth and Leia cried out "No!" Ahsoka yanked her back as the stormtroopers pursued.

"We can't let them take him..."

"Alive?" Ahsoka's voice shook.

"Maybe he isn't?" Leia couldn't believe she was saying it. Her own voice seemed to come from far away.

"I think he'd prefer that. But if so, there isn't a body. And even if he isn't...we can't let them have his body." Ahsoka's fists were clenched.

"Why not? Never mind. I don't need to know." Leia's voice shook with fear. "I saw the look on his face when they said the order was to take him to Byss."

Luke nearly collided with them as he came down from a Force sprint. "Han's getting your assorted surviving prisoners out, including General Dodonna. Where's Father? What's happened?" There horror was obvious, he knew something was wrong.

Ahsoka grabbed his arm, propelling him to the entrance they'd used. "They got him."

Luke froze, nearly toppling at her pull. She yanked and he followed, shaking his head. " No. No! We have to rescue him!"

"Not here. Not now. Those creatures block the Force and they have too many. We won't help him by getting caught too."

"There has to be a way."

They signaled Rogue Squadron as soon as they were clear, Luke ordered them to intercept and stop the shuttle. He swallowed hard and looked at the others. "We want them alive, Wedge...if possible."

"I can't guarantee it, but I'll try."

_to be continued_


	9. Chapter 9

Up in space, the Alliance ships battling suddenly found ships jumping out from behind and in front. Lando and Chewie gave them the warning about the ambushing ships from the core, but ships leaped in behind as well. Had Lusankya lifted off, they'd have been pinned on all sides. As it was, they were forced into a battle every bit as intense as at Endor.

Rogues Squadron harried and battled their way to the shuttle, but they found a flight of TIE fighters and interceptors charging into their path. The shuttle gained ground. Antillies relayed the warning to grab the shuttle ahead to the fleet, but in the intense firefight, there was little they could do. When in the midst of a space battle, top priority when to fighters and cruiser combat, not pursuing a lone shuttle. The ship docked with the Chimera and made for the edge of the fleet. They got clear of the primary battle zone and met up with another Destroyer, which took Isard to one side of the fleet.

The numbers would've been on the Imperial's side before Endor. Now, they were more evenly matched. The Empire would've had the advantage of surprise. But the Alliance fleet had a surprise as well.

Obi-Wan Kenobi leaned on the bridge of Home One, the mon calamari cruiser. Ackbar was in the command seat, but he was advising. Former Admiral Piett watched too, jaw tight. "Is this how he felt? That no matter what he did, it would betray someone?" His voice was a whisper.

"Very likely." Obi-Wan whispered, thinking of Anakin. "At least when he first fell." The frightening tremor in the Force threatened to distract him from the battle plan. His friend was in danger. And then he winked out. But it didn't feel like death. Unconscious? But he could not, would not, allow it to distract him. The balance of the Force had shifted. Obi-Wan could see how the shatter points in the Force here, the points where the space battle would turn. And Admiral Piett's information, more recent than Anakin's, shifted it the rest of the way toward the Alliance.

The Imperial fleet split in an attempt to stop them. The half of the fleet directly commanded by Thrawn was at all angles, not positioning itself traditionally, but using odd tactical patterns that some of the Alliance was having trouble adjusting too. But Ackbar had studied Thrawn's tactics, and Anakin's intel. His decisions directed the fleet. Obi-Wan was advising him, based on warnings he sensed in the Force. Suddenly every warning Anakin had given them about Thrawn was integrated into the battle and everything Piett had said about Isard and his fellow officer's tactics and plans was weaving into victory.

Finally the Imperials apparently admitted defeat when they were whittled down by a third.

"Luke." Wedge signaled him on the comlink.

"Wedge! Did you get them."

An ominous silence followed. Luke, Leia, Han and Ahsoka all stared at each other in distress. They all knew before he answered.

"No. The shuttle made it to the star destroyer Chimera. They just jumped to hyperspace. I'm sorry."

An Alliance cruiser, with Bail Organa and Padḿe had arrived in system right after the battle. They had only waited for the signal it was over.

They regrouped on Home One and as soon as Padmé saw Luke, Leia and Ahsoka she turned white. She didn't need to ask where Anakin was.

"We need to talk to Piett." Ahsoka said firmly. "We need to know where they're taking him, how they'll get there. And fast."

Piett looked up as they charged into the room as if they'd run him over.

"They got him! Where will they take him! How can we intercept!" The demands were urgent, just short of panic. It was Padme who nearly shook him, pleading.

Piett was taken aback. He could've used this as a bargaining chip, but it was overwhelming to have the former Lord Vader's wife shaking him, or his son and Jedi allies staring and firing questions. "Byss." He whispered. "In the deepest core. They'll only stop once, in a zone that's got an erratic, unpredictable gravitations shift. It affects an asteroid cluster...there's a supply base on one..."

"Thanks. We'll need the coordinates." Luke said.

The man hesitantly gave them over and the overwhelming, unexpected Rebels left.

Leia had her hand on her forehead. Han glanced around. "I'm going to go warn the others about that bio weapon, just in case any got out, while you figure this out. We should make sure those test subjects get more medical help. I'll send the coordinates for the Lusankya too, assuming they can't figure it out from the mess down there." He pressed a reassuring hand to Leia's shoulder before leaving.

"It's my fault." Leia whispered to Obi-Wan. "He knew there might be sleeper agents in with the prisoners. He didn't think we should release them until afterward. But I wouldn't listen. One turned on me. They had me captive and he sacrificed himself to get me away. I can't believe..," her voice choked to a halt. "I was arrogant. Refused to accept his input...I can't believe I made the mistake Fey'lya...,"

Obi-Wan gently held her shoulder. "Princess, he knew the risk. And your mistake was not the same. You made a choice in the heat of conflict. You might've been right. Anakin has done the same on many occasions, as have I. Anakin is strong. Stronger than he was as Darth Vader, or even when he was young. We will find him."

* * *

Anakin first thought was that he felt sick. He was disoriented, dizzy and his stomach and inner ear were apparently having an argument. He didn't sense anyone near. Suddenly his breath caught. Near panic surged as he remembered what had happened. The ysalamiri...was one near him now? Had he been taken? The last he remembered was battling a horde of stormtroopers. He forced himself to calm. He controlled his breathing. He tried his normal senses first. A hard, cold metal surface beneath him. V He couldn't hear much of anything, but a distant hum of air and engine. Very distant, it was a large ship then. That alarmed him and he took another moment to calm his breathing. Ordered himself not to open his eyes, not to blink. A good sign, he couldn't hear any breathing but his own. No-one or nothing breathed near him. The smell of metal and recycled air, common on spacecraft. His mouth was very dry. It tasted unpleasant, like he'd been sucking on metallic cotton. His nostrils flared a bit at this. He cautiously licked his lips. Still not opening his eyes, he reached for the Force. Reached out, reached in. An uncomfortable silence there, he couldn't feel anything. Not like looking into the dark side. More like a soundproof room, as if everything were too still to be felt, seen or make a sound. Very unnerving. Had that ever happened before? Once. A terrifying memory of pain, of agony, being told he'd killed his wife, reaching for the Force...and his horror had shattered restraints and metal but it wasn't the Force connection he was used too. At the time, he was weaker than he had been, weaker because he'd used the dark side, not just due to loss of limb. That made his limbs twitch. And that nearly made him curse. He was cuffed, ankles and wrists both. He could hear the minor clank and feel a minor electronic buzz that sizzled his skin in warning.

He couldn't put it off forever. Odds were, they were watching with holocams. He shifted his head, reaching for all of his senses again, trying to shift perspective. Something hard on his neck. It ached. It had a slight sizzle. Slave collar! That brought a flicker of fear and fury. He had to fight to force it down again, he didn't want them to have the satisfaction of affecting his emotions. Finally, he opened his eyes.

At first he just rolled them around without moving his head. Sure enough he was in a cell. Not an ordinary cell. Most cells were just for ordinary prisoners. This one had well hidden accessories that would make the blood run cold on anyone who recognized them.

For sometime he was left alone. He had no idea how long since he'd had food or drink, but it was long enough that he felt it. His whole body ached, complaining that he, like Obi-Wan, was getting to old for this. His bruises had bruises from the stormtroopers piling on. His limbs ached where they joined the prosthetics. He almost smiled at that. How many had it taken to down him? He had a cut on his cheek, no memory of how he got it.

Okay. So what was the deal with the ysalamiri? He considered the problem...no, challenge, he reminded himself firmly. A challenge was something you could overcome. Like the finish line of a race. A problem was a wall to break through. It was negative. These creatures were manipulating the Force. Non sentient or not, they used the Force. What did he remember about them? The blocking of the Force, or whatever it was, was a defensive mechanism against predators. Somewhere way back in history, Mrkyr had even been the birthplace of Jedi. So, Jedi had, at one point, coexisted with them.

The Jedi had never studied them scientifically, at least not the living ones. Palpatine probably had, along with the zillo beast and who knew what else on Byss. Byss. He fought down a shudder as he realized that's where they were taking him. The place where the pretender to the throne lay. The place where the Dark Side was so strong it may as well have been it's birth place.

He had to escape. Ysalamiri were in the way. If it was a defense mechanism, then something hunted them. Something had to have a counter measure. There was always, as Qui-Gon had pointed out, a bigger fish. And if Jedi had come from Mrkyr, then maybe they had known how to counter it. Maybe it was just a lost technique, like Qui-Gon communing after death.

He sat up slowly and carefully, shifting upright and sitting cross legged on the wide, hard metal bench. It wasn't easy with the chains. He sank into meditation. "When you learn to quiet your mind, you will hear them talking to you." Qui-Gon had said, when he'd first asked about midichlorians. And Plagueis had manipulated them into creating abnormal life. So what if he just reached for them? Not to manipulate or try and force, merely to listen. Listen deeper and harder and more focused then ever in his life?

Thrawn watched through the holocams, thoughtful. He sat back calmly, fingers steepled together before his red eyes. Captain Pellaeon was watching beside him.

"What do you make of this, Captain?"

"He doesn't act like the lizards are bothering him."

"Yes. He's a consummate warrior. Even in battle he didn't slow a stride." Thrawn said slowly. "He seems far more disciplined now than when he called himself Lord Vader."

"Do you think it is affecting him?"

"Most certainly, Captain. It's subtle. An occasional twitch. A barely discernible shudder. After so many years behind the mask, his sabaac face isn't perfect."

"Actually considering he didn't need one behind the mask, I'd say it's excellent."

"Perhaps. Have the guards activate the cells softening up methods. Light, sound, mild electric shocks."

"Are you sure that's wise? What if he really isn't affected? We could be unleashing Lord Vader at his worst."

"My concern Captain, is that he may find a way around the ysalmiri blocks. We haven't any scientific way of knowing how they work. Just because the Jedi didn't know a way, does not mean the Sith didn't find one. By all accounts he may be the most powerful Force user ever born. Best we don't give him time to experiment."

Anakin could feel the Force, feel the midichlorians...just barely. He lost them, gained them, wrestling with his own inner distractions and random thoughts. When he finally got a good enough grip, the impression he got was one of white noise. Less like the Ysalamiri was blocking the Force, on the contrary, it was using it, throwing out a natural illusion, a blanket camouflage that affected everything in the area. Camouflage. That could be useful. A form of Force cloak. He'd used such things in the past, and it made sense that it could be done naturally. At least, it made sense to him, given that he'd been able to do it even as a boy without any training whatsoever, or any honest notion how he did it. This was a different technique though. It didn't affect light, or sound, or smell. It didn't even affect the mind, or not just the mind. It affected the midichlorians. It had to. Almost like they joined together to match a natural frequency.

A sudden blast of sound, high pitched to an ear bleed inducing level hit him suddenly. Startled, he opened his eyes. He shut them again rapidly as the sudden blast of wildly gyrating lights joined the audio assault. He sighed. He should've known they wouldn't take any chances. He contemplated blindfolding himself and stuffing bits of cloth in his ears, but they had a ways of dealing with that. The best he could do was hunker down and endure. Don't give them satisfaction of losing control of himself. Memory flickered briefly. Leia. This was how her torment had begun. He had to swallow nausea at that. It didn't matter. He told his increasingly fast heart and complaining stomach. His deserving it didn't matter. What did matter was, the Empire was built on the lies of the Sith, built on the Dark Side. And whatever he deserved, the Dark Side did not deserve the victory. He swore he wouldn't give it this one.

The light and sound faded abruptly. "Impressive." Thrawn said from the doorway.

It took a moment for that to register. Anakin's hearing was confused at the sudden wild shift between high pitched noise, booming and now the sudden silence. Thrawn's voice was amazingly quiet.

"I think you just stole my line." He blinked hazily at the Grand Admiral.

"Without the Force, I confess I thought you'd be a good deal weaker."

"Weaker than what?" He asked flatly.

"Then a Sith or a Jedi."

"Guess that depends on your definition of strength."

"What is yours?" Thrawn asked.

Anakin glimpsed Pellaeon hovering behind and to the side, watching with fascination. Two stormtroopers stood on either side of the door. He heached for the Force again. Brushed just barely against that white noise. He cocked his head. "That's for me to know. Anyway, I asked first."

"I may need to insist."

"You may try. Or maybe your mysterious leader would prefer you wait." Anakin replied, meeting Thrawn's red eyes and well aware of the dangerous game he played. Thrawn was a genius. He was a master at psychological advantage. Anything he heard or saw would be pieced together into a puzzle that would reveal how to beat his opponent.

"The Emperor is eager to see you again."

"The Emperor is dead."

"So you believe."

"So I know." His eyes were bright. "And if you show me one who looks like him and acts like him I'll still say it's a copy. And if I beat one I can beat the other." His voice was very firm.

"I think you may be in for a surprise."

Anakin shrugged. He thought about pointing out a government built on lies was doomed. But giving Thrawn any information was dangerous. He was too good at ferreting out clues and might take countermeasures to prevent the truth of Palpatine's lies from getting out, or find a way to spin them. No, he was better off keeping his mouth shut.

He glimpsed Pellaon still peering in, fascinated and alarmed. Pellaeon had never respected him quite the way Piett had, though he'd served under him. He was a good officer, though. Anakin grieved a little that he couldn't win him over, but certainly not while he was under Thrawn's influence. Clearly he was firmly behind Thrawn now. For a long moment, Anakin and Thrawn remained in a staring match. Anakin crossed his arms and leaned with false casualness against the wall. He could feel the slight buzz of the cuffs, warning him that it wasn't just the guards blasters between him and Thrawn. Finally after studying him silently for a time, Thrawn left. Anakin resisted the urge to sigh. If he knew Thrawn, the man was watching or recording him. The relief would've been premature anyway. Sounds suddenly blasted, light flashed and the sizzling of the cuffs and collar bombarded him with pain. They weren't taking any chances on him being able to find and focus his power in spite of the ysalamiri. Anakin turned inward, unable to physically curl up due to the added pain of the collar and cuffs. The closer they drew to each other, the more it hurt. But in his mind, he curled up, battling the external assault and trying to find the Force...and just what, exactly, the ysalamiri were doing to manipulate it. He mentally swore, if he got out of this, to make a study of these kind of things and how to counter them.

_to be continued_


	10. Chapter 10

The Alliance ship Calrissian and Kenobi had commandeered after the battle over Coruscant, came out of hyperspace, sitting by a small moon with a rather dead looking planet beside it. Asteroids continually impacted the surface of the planet. The moon was somewhat better shielded, both by the planet and by a defense shield forming a dome over the base.

"I must say it looks a thoroughly unpleasant place." Threepio remarked from the communications area.

"Yeah, well, just keep listening to the Imperial chatter, Threepio. If...when you hear anything about the Chimera, or Thrawn or Anakin or Vader, call me immediately."

"Of course, General Calrissian."

"Cloak is functioning well, sir." An officer informed Lando Calrissian. The man paced for a moment, then turned to join his friends in the command area. "Keep me informed." He said, worried.

The moment he entered, multiple pairs of eyes landed on him.

"We're here. No sign of the Chimera yet. We've beaten them. But now that we're here, now what? We really aren't equipped to take on, let alone board, a Star Destroyer. And that supply base is well protected."

"They would surely notice if they arrived and the base had been in a firefight, in any event." Kenobi observed.

"So. Does anyone have a plan?"

For a moment no-one spoke. Padme finally observed, "We have the shuttle with the cloak, the Millenium Falcon, and … Admiral Piett." She looked at the silent still uneasy man. There could be few things more intimidating than being caught between conflicting duties, especially when one of the conflicts was married to a woman like Padme Amidala. Piett sighed. "I can give you the entry codes, last ones I knew, to get into the base. Unless they've changed them. Given the nature of the crash I was in, and the lizard cats, they may have assumed I'm dead."

"Can you give us anything else about the Chimera that might help us reach him? Anything different than the normal Star Destroyer, or changes Thrawn would make?"

Piett paused, considering. "He's like Lord Vader in that he rewards competence, not status or species. There are more woman aboard as well as aliens...his personal bodyguards are noghri...other than that..." But an odd look crossed Piett's face then.

"What is it? You've thought of something." Ahsoka alertly picked up his flicker of thought.

"I don't know if it will help...but I think it unlikely the noghri know about Vader. He frowned. "They used to be his personal guards. He traded them to Thrawn for a favor. But they practically worshipped him."

Leia's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Why?"

"Their home world was devastated by the Clone Wars. They weren't on either side, but the battle came to their world. A toxic bio weapon was loosed when a Separatist ship crashed." His unease increased. Clearly, he wasn't totally convinced the Alliance was better than Separatists. "They were forgotten, until Lord Vader rediscovered their world. I don't know why he was there, but they attacked en masse. Naturally they didn't defeat him, but their courage and ferocity were so impressive he offered a trade. Their services in exchange for supplies and help rebuilding and searching for a way to counter the bio weapon's effects."

"Ah." Obi-Wan's eyes had gone distance. "I believe I heard about this … Honoghr, wasn't it? That bio weapon was aimed at Naboo."

Padme cringed.

Piett nodded. "The noghri feel indebted to him. It's unlikely they would go along with his imprisonment."

Luke glanced around. "So they problably don't know about it. We might be able to persuade them to help, if we get aboard?"

"What condition is the world in now?" Obi-Wan asked rather sharply.

"Not good, so far as I know. We, he, Lord Vader and the Emperor...well, it really was a vicious bio toxin..."

"But they weren't in a hurry to have them out of debt." Han said, sarcastically recognizing the man's hedging.

"No. They weren't. In any event, they still need assistance and if helping him costs them that..."

Padme folded her arms across her chest. "Then we'll just have to make sure they get assistance."

"I'm going." Leia insisted. "It was me he sacrificed himself for."

"But...you've only just started training." Luke objected, looking at Obi-Wan for support.

"If those ysalamiri things are there, and we know they are, then having the Force won't be a big advantage. In fact, it might be the opposite. You'd try and call on it out of habit. I wouldn't." Leia countered.

Obi-Wan considered the group carefully, analyzing strengths and weaknesses. Of the group, Leia, and Captain Solo were the two with the most experience at literally navigating the insides of a Star Destroyer. Not counting he and Piett, for they weren't going. They didn't trust the Admiral that far yet, and he was needed here. Ahsoka was the next most knowledgable, albeit on the older ships of the Clone Wars. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to meditate. His decision, he knew, would not thrill the whole group.

"I believe Leia and Ahsoka should go."

"And me..." Han scowled and rested a hand on his blaster. Luke opened his mouth but Obi-Wan held both hands up for silence. "No. Listen. Leia and Ahsoka go in first. Leia is a negotiator, a trained diplomat who may be able to talk the noghri into it. Keep in mind, you'll need to emphasize that Anakin as Vader was deceived into believing in the Emperor. Be careful not to villify him. Ahsoka has a good deal of familiarity with this type of ship in general and is trained, if it comes to that. But we still need a backup team in case, as is unfortunately likely, you can't get him off before the ship jumps again. That would be you and Luke, Captain Solo. Since you served a short time with the Empire, you would have the familiarity with the ship, Luke has the training and the connection to his family...both as a Jedi and a relative. You will likely need to complete the extraction."

Han fussed at this. He was afraid to let Leia go alone. Chewbacca suddenly rumbled something. If Leia and Ahsoka stowed aboard a different supply shuttle to board the Chimera, why not have Han fly the cloaked one down to drop them off. That way, he could bring it back.

Han still wasn't happy. Luke wasn't happy either.

"What are you complaining about?" Padme said, suddenly fierce. "I wish I had that much to contribute. I can shoot and negotiate, but I know how Anakin would react if I was threatened. And it wouldn't be pretty."

"It wouldn't be pretty if any of his family is threatened, would it?" Lando muttered. The Emperor had forgotten that, to his peril.

No-one replied to that. There was no time to think of another plan.

The first part of the plan consisted of Leia and Ahsoka, in disguise, with an apparently legitimate load of supplies for the base, as well as a few choice supplies for the Chimera. Lando and Han made sure to include cases of choice Corellian whiskey. It had a way of distracting officers from thorough checks, in out of the way outposts like this one. Han ducked the cloaked shuttle just out of the system, jumped back in uncloaked and landed using Piett's coordinates.

They were just in time, as they unloaded, to see the Star Destroyer Chimera arrive. Thanks to Piett's resources and Artoo's fiddling with the records, they were able to stow away on a ship making a quick cargo run. They were hiding in two large crates while the droid posed as a legitimate cargo being transferred to serve on the Chimera. Once they were unloaded into a cargo bay, he released them from their hidden imprisonment. Ahsoka shoved out past the opened hatch of the crate, which was lined on all sides with frozen produce. It had served to lower their body temperature and mess up the life sign detectors. She shivered. "Not my preferred way to travel" she noted, as she helped the equally shivering Leia out.

"I hope they choke on it." Leia grumbled, glancing at the frozen foods. "Where to now? I imagine we need a computer station for Artoo to find him. But how will we break him out of the prison level?"

"One challenge at a time, Leia." Ahsoka suggested.

The cargo room was sealed, but Artoo made short work of it. Ahsoka was reaching into the Force. "I don't sense anyone close."

"What if they have those things?"

Ahsoka glanced around. "I don't know much about them, but I don't think they do freezing temperatures. And we are definitely in the 'cold' storage area."

Leia cautiously opened the door. The two hurried out, making their way to the ship board laundries.

Remaining in the maintenance shafts, they nudged Artoo, who rolled in amongst the laundry droids and retrieved two uniforms. He rolled back and offered them up.

"Good job Artoo. They're even the right size." Leia observed.

"Definitely female crew aboard." Ahsoka agreed. "Do you think we should get Anakin one?"

"I don't think they'd fall for it, do you?"

Ahsoka considered. "From what he said about Thrawn, probably not. And he's a bit too tall to fit in a stormtrooper's armor, even if he would."

"He's gotten pretty claustrophobic about that." Leia acknowledged.

From there, they found an untended maintenance computer station. Artoo, being an expert hacker programmed by Anakin, had no trouble bypassing the normal blockages to the main computers and from there, the prisoner list. He let out an electronic snort of dismay.

"What is it?" Ahsoka asked, looking around.  
"He's not listed by name."

"I guess that's not surprising. It's probably an added security layer. How about checking for time of arrival in the cell, matched to when he was taken?"

Artoo let out a sudden distress series of beeps. Ahsoka's head rose and her eyes went distant. The slightest vibration and hum made her look at Leia in dismay. "We just made the jump to hyperspace, didn't we?"

Leia grimaced at the readouts. "Yes."

Ahsoka held her eyes. "Byss is a very dangerous place, for all of us."

"Well. Like you said. One challenge at a time." She paused. "Can you feel him in the Force? I can't tell if there is a block or if it's just that I'm not very close to him, or not experienced enough..."

Ahsoka's eyes slid shut and she reached out. "Frowning, she pushed harder.."

"No. I don't think so. For a second I thought I got a flicker, but it's gone again."

Artoo suddenly let out a triumphant buzz. The display flickered to life, showing security footage.

"Aha!" Ahsoka leaned closer. Then she winced and looked at Leia.

"Talk about getting a dose of his own medicine." Leia observed, but she was frowning with concern. There was a time she secretly might've figured it was just what he needed. She took it back, now. Now seeing him like this actually hurt her! It was definitely Anakin, cuffed, collared, and if his expression was anything to go by, attempted to concentrate in the midst of pain. "What's going on with the lights in there, Artoo?"

The droid let out a disturbed and lengthy series of twittering beeps.

"Sense Torture. Flashing lights, loud and piercing noises, plus the shocks..." Ahsoka was angry.

"I don't see an ysalimir. Artoo, can you pull up footage around the cell?"

The droid hummed for a moment.

"Oh." Ahsoka was disturbed to see various creatures along the whole dead end cell block. Artoo flashed images of the two surrounding cells, as well as the nearest room on the third side. Ysalimiri. "This is so not good."

Leia chewed her lip. "How are we going to get him out of that? Artoo, how many entrances to the cell bay?"

The droid beeped unhappily. This was the highest security area. Only one entrance in or out.

"Air vents? Garbage vents?"

The droid drew up a schematic. There were garbage vents nearby and below. But they were not near Anakin's cell and there were at least two guards stationed in the middle of the corridor. There were air vents, which, they noticed, led to more than just air, but also to canisters of soporific in case of trouble with rowdy prisoners. Unfortunately, the vents were too small for either of them, let alone Anakin.

"We're going to need someone to move him out of there, first." Leia finally said.

Ahsoka nodded. "Artoo, patch into the internal sensors and see if you can locate any of the noghri."

The droid let out a questioning burble.

"Just start with looking for non humans. We know there are three, myself, the Grand Admiral and the noghri. If the noghri are bodyguards, even if there are other species aboard, I'll bet the noghri will be the highest concentration." Ahsoka suggested.

"And you can probably ignore any in prison cells." Leia added. She instantly felt a twinge of guilt. There may be other prisoners who deserved rescue. But it could compromise there objective. Now she was in the same position he had been in, when she insisted on freeing them all. Sometimes, you just couldn't. For all she knew, of course, some may truly be criminals.

"Right."

"There." Leia murmured, as Artoo pulled up a location in the crew area. "I bet that's their own assigned living area." She sucked in a deep breath. "Even with the evidence we brought...Artoo, dig around some and see if you can find any specifics on what the Empire has done or is doing on Honoghr. Just in case we need to prove they are being betrayed." She sat down on the black seat, rotated it to face Ahsoka. "And here I thought it was hard to persuade people to trust a new government. At least I didn't usually have this kind of deadline."

"Remember that, next time you're tempted to complain." Ahsoka said dryly.

* * *

On the Alliance command ship, Han was busy tooling, tinkering and repairing his beloved Falcon. He was desperate to put his mind on anything but Leia and Ahsoka being off on their own.

The comlink signaled at the same time the big ship shuddered. Chewbacca let out a knowledgable growl.

"Han, they've gone to light speed. No signal from Leia or Ahsoka."

Chewbacca rumbled worriedly.

"Yeah, I hope so too."

The plan was very loose, very much a play it by ear situation. And he remembered Anakin's warnings about Byss. He may not understand the Force, but he understood that Anakin and Vader were very different. And that Byss was a prime example of what the dark side could do. He didn't want his Jedi friends anywhere near the place.

_to be continued_


	11. Chapter 11

Luke stood with Obi-Wan on the command deck, staring at the hyperlanes. Lando came alongside. "Got to admit, the your father is a genius with ships. This ship's working way above specs since they followed his suggestions."

Obi-Wan nodded. "If we get him back, this won't be the only one." And if they had sense to acknowledge that Anakin was justified in taking off to stop the Lusankya, whatever the advisory council thought, the Jedi mentally added.

Anakin had done the same in the Clone Wars, and that had been what encouraged the Alliance leaders to have the techs consider his advice and designs. That plus studying the cloaking device from the shuttle had enabled this particular ships advantage. Of course, it still had the same weakness cloaks always had. It could be tracked by magnetic signature, if anyone knew to look for it.

Leia and Ahsoka casually studied the gray aliens as they approached. "Ahsoka, have you any idea how I might even get a word in before I'm arrested?" Leia was increasingly uncertain.

"Smell."

"What?"

"Some species are more olfactory sensitive than others. They identify beings by smell more than sight. They might recognize you as being related to Vader. I think that one over there is the leader."

"And the noghri are one of them?"

"Probably."

"Probably?"

"Look at their faces, the size of those nostrils...they didn't evolve like that for no reason."

Leia sighed. "Wish me luck."

"May the Force be with you."

It was immediately clear that one did not sneak up on noghri. The creature that broke off from the others to look around, was obviously well aware of her discreet approach.

"May I speak with you?"

"What is it you seek, human..." the creature eyed her, a hint of recognition behind it's gaze. It's fingers twitched to his belt, but hesitated.

"Can we speak in private?"

"You are one of the Alliance, one we seek!"

Leia hesitated, offering her hand. "But I'm an ally of yours. The Empire has betrayed you, and Lord Vader. He needs your help. Please, let me prove it." She hesitated, struggling with what she needed to say. "He's my father.""

The noghri took her hand in a grip she knew concealed great power. One sniff and his eyes seemed to flicker with shock. "You are his heir..." He said, disbelieving.

Leia nodded. "Will you hear me out?"

The noghri nodded curtly.

By the time she finished, the noghri was silent.

"What you speak of, your words are very dangerous. This could doom our world."

"If he can help you, if we can help you, we will. But the Empire must not succeed in getting him to Byss."

"I fear there is no avoiding it. The ship will not stop again until we arrive there."

"If we can break him out, we can escape before he reaches the surface."

The noghri still looked doubtful. "I am willing to help you. I believe I can convince the others. But I should speak to him myself...identify him, as well as you, who were once his enemy, heir or not."

Leia looked at Ahsoka. "But either way, getting to him presents a challenge. He's very well guarded and they've taken precautions against his powers."

"They're hurting him." Ahsoka was looking away, frowning, focusing on the images Artoo currently had on the computer monitor. They'd shown their potential ally the relevant data. They ended with Anakin, the wanted alert, and his security image, sitting in the cell.

"It is difficult to imagine Lord Vader, unable to defend himself."

"Believe me, if they fought fair, or even close to it, they wouldn't stand a chance." Ahsoka said, firmly.

Artoo beeped an additive.

"He was unconscious when they brought him on board." Ahsoka translated.

Leia's lips tightened as she looked at the nogrhi, Kabarakh. "Look...the reason they got him is...he sacrificed himself to let me get away. He sealed himself in the room with them so they couldn't pursue me. I have to get him out!"

Ahsoka looked at her at his. She could imagine Anakin's surprise if he heard it. Leia, feeling she owed him, after all he'd done to her?

"I will attempt to reach him." The noghri said slowly. "But I cannot guarantee we can get him out before our arrival."

"We can only ask that you do your best." Leia said.

"I will need to speak to him without anyone knowing, without the interference..." The noghri considered.

Artoo let out a sudden string of chatter. Ahsoka peered at the translation and smiled. "Artoo has an idea on that. He can record the security cam footage, alter the data and feed it back while shutting down the sensory overload devices. If you can sneak in then..."

Kabarakh nodded. "I will contact you when I am ready."

"I hope my feelings about him are right." Leia whispered as he left.

"Me too."

* * *

The sudden cessation of the assault was almost as big a shock as the assault itself. His ears were still ringing and his head throbbed. Nerve pain was tingling around the collar, though it faded faster from his prosthetic wrists and ankles. He sat still, just breathing, pausing from his inward analysis of the midichorians. Whether in truth or hallucination, he felt he'd been staring intently at the symbionts and they were getting larger, more powerful, like beings with giant spirits looking back silently at him. The door whooshed open so quietly he almost didn't hear it. He started and looked up into the intense face of a noghri. It stared at him uncertainly, stepped nearer and gently leaned close. "Forgive me..." It breathed deeply, eyes half shut and then widening. "Lord Vader. It truly is you."

"Ah..." Anakin eyed him warily.

"Your daughter sent me to you."

Anakin's eyes widened.

"She and her companion, seek to free you."

Anakin glanced up at the holo cams.

"Their droid has deactivated them."

"Artoo. Of course...who is with Leia?"

"One called Ahsoka Tano. She said she was one you once taught."

Anakin nodded at this, still somewhat stunned. "So if you're here, does this mean you know how to get me out?" Anakin motioned cautiously to the general exit of the prison block.

"Not yet." The noghri hesitated. "We must deal with the creatures that seek to block your power. And the ship will not exit hyperspace before Byss."

Anakin visibly winced. "Not good. I don't want to be anywhere near Byss and I sure don't want them there."

"We will do our best to free you, my Lord. But we must be discreet."

"Of course. It won't help if Thrawn thinks you're a threat. Be careful...what's your name."

"I am Kabarakh, my Lord."

Anakin wasn't too comfortable with the hero worship, but now wasn't the time to deal with it. A noise outside made the noghri's head whip up."

"I will return soon."

"Thank you."

* * *

Ahsoka returned from her brief errand. With a flourish and a smile, she announced, "I guarantee he'll be glad to get this back." She held aloft Anakin's new lightsaber. Prisoner's possessions were not as secure as the prisoners themselves. Leia managed a faint smile, then turned with a startled yelp as the noghri appeared as if materializing by magic.

Kabarakh's return brought both good and bad news. "With your droid's control of the computers, we can access the area and slay the ysalamiri. With his power, from there he should be able to escape the cell block."

"I hear a 'but' in there." Ahsoka observed.

The noghri's eyes held hers, then Leia's. "We are very near Byss. And even with your access to the computers, his escape will quickly be discovered. It is a long way between the hanger and the prison block. We can slay almost every ysalamiri aboard and help him, and you, fight your way out...but..."

"You can't guarantee success. We'd be more likely to succeed if it was more sneaking and less fighting." Leia said slowly.

He nodded, looking and feeling distressed in the Force. "And that, we cannot do before we arrive. There is no time. And..." He looked away, voice trailing off. "We would do anything for Lord Vader...but...the cost will be high, and paid by our world and families..."

"You wouldn't have time to warn them until we get out of hyperspace." Ahsoka realized. "And we wouldn't have time to send help either."

Leia frowned. "Those ysalamiri things look like their always asleep."

Ahsoka and the noghri blinked at the apparent non sequitor.

"Much as I don't like killing innocent life forms, could you kill them without marks? So it isn't obvious they are dead?"

The noghri cocked his head. "Yes."

"So...if we deal with as many ysalamiri as possible, without them knowing and realizing it, then we could make a move when they take him to the hanger. They plan to take him out anyway and take him to Byss. We could intercept, steal a ship and make off with him. Meanwhile you could have some of you noghri signal the others to warn them and we can call our people to tell them to assist you in evacuating, hiding or defending." Leia said nodding.

Kabarakh considered this. "Perhaps it will work. But the signaling will require someone to leave the deep core. There is too much interference...unless one can bypass the holonet security. Even then, it is not guaranteed. The hazards of the core interfere even with authorized communication."

Ahsoka nodded. "We can arrange that, I think."

The only problem of course, was that they had to get near Byss to pull it off.

Kabarakh's return brought Anakin a wave of renewing confidence. It was partly because he could feel the sudden shift, the way the Force started being accessible again. Also the torture ceased again. They didn't dare leave it off indefinitely, for fear someone would physically check on him and discover the altered holocams.

"My Lord, we have a plan." The noghri stated uneasily. "We cannot hope to free you and get you all the way to the hanger. But we can free you en route to the hanger."

"Oh. Ah." Anakin pondered this with a sinking feeling. In other words, when they were at Byss and someone, the would be emperor, was expecting him. "If that's the best we can do, I'll take it."

"I am sorry we cannot act sooner. If you insist, we will try..."

"No. I can see the problem. The point is escape, not suicide." Although, that thought had entered his mind. It might be preferable to what he'd face on Byss. But now that he knew Leia and Ahsoka were here, he banished it. It was one thing to go down fighting himself, something else to take them and these devoted creatures with him. And it still left the problem that the enemy might have his body. He had been trained in how to vanish into the Force, but he had doubts how well that would work if the ysalamiri were in the vicinity. At least he could feel the Force until they came for him.

Leia and Ahsoka were sticking close to the hanger maintenance shafts. Artoo was plugged into the computer. He gave a cheerful beep of relief.

"Great. They're bringing him." Leia said.

"I thought you were eager to get it over with." Ahsoka observed.

"I am. But I'm also aware of the holes in the plan. Like escaping through a fleet, when we don't know how close backup is. And what if they knock him out to transport him again?"

"Now your borrowing trouble."

"I'm thinking ahead in the hopes of having a backup plan." Leia countered. She glanced out into the bay. There was the shuttle. Through the floor below, she could just see the planet. She shivered. Even from here it felt dark and brooding.

"You're blaming yourself." Ahsoka said.

"If I hadn't been taken...been so sure that Isard couldn't have broken those prisoners so they'd betray us..."

"Only one betrayed us. The rest fought for their freedom."

"But he was right about the danger."

"And you were right about needing their help to sabotage the ship. It wasn't an either-or situation, Leia."

Leia shifted uneasily. "He's afraid of this place. But he took the chance to save me...it's hard for me to accept, especially from him."

Ahsoka laid her hand on her shoulder. "I know you don't call him, 'Father'. But the moment he knew, he loved you. Anakin would've done it just because he's a Jedi, but he'd also do it because he's a father."

Leia nodded slowly. "I've known Darth Vader for years. But I just met Anakin Skywalker for the first time." Only when he'd sacrificed himself for her did she really see and acknowledge the Jedi hero he had once been, the one who finally defeated the Emperor.

_to be continued_


	12. Chapter 12

Anakin was even less thrilled when Thrawn showed up then he had expected. The torture had ceased again and for a moment he dared hope it was his allies. Then he noticed a gas filtering in. Instantly, he held his breath, using the Force to slow his breathing and feigned weakness. Finally the door opened. His Force connection stuttered as the enemy entered. Thrawn opened the door and stepped in. He noticed one of the noghri behind him and realized instantly that Thrawn didn't know they recognized him. A good sign, that. The bad sign was the fact that Thrawn was wearing one of the creatures that was still alive. But the worse was that they lugged in another one on another carry harness. His stomach dropped. Anakin could, actually still feel the Force. It had taken much effort, but he could detect it. Controlling it was another matter. The white noise of the ysalamir negated his efforts.

The collar buzzed warningly as the guards grabbed him. A droid hovered nearby on repulsorlifts. Distracted by the creature, he almost didn't see it, or the outstretched fluid filled needle. He tried to jerk aside as it rushed him only to feel the flaming warning burn of collar and cuffs. A needle sank into his neck. Nausea threatened and he had to force on keeping his empty but churning stomach in line. They wrestled him into the harness, cuffing hands behind his back. Then they hauled him upright. He had to lock his knees to keep from swaying. His head was swimming.

"Let's go." Thrawn said calmly, leading the way out. He let them pass him and stayed a half step behind on the way to the hanger. They bullied Anakin forward, it was taken a good deal more energy than he suddenly had just to walk. What had they given him? He wondered. The gas had been meant to incapacitate him, was the needle just for assurance? Just to prove he had no power here? The noghri hadn't been able to take all the ysalamir out and he was too foggy to fight through the effects to the Force.

Ahsoka glared out at the hanger, eyes glued to the man by the shuttle. "Pellaeon." She growled.

"I take it you don't like him. Something personal?" Leia was desperate for diversion from her growing list of things that could go wrong.

"Met him during the Clone Wars, when I was Anakin's padawan. He made a big fuss about me having to wear a uniform on 'his' ship. Said mine didn't cover enough." She rolled her eyes. "I was dressed modestly, but with an outfit that gave me maximum mobility. Can't say I didn't resent him telling a Jedi how they could or couldn't dress!"

Kabarakh appeared at their side again, so sudden they jumped.

"Are all your people that good at sneaking up?" Ahsoka demanded.

"Yes."  
"No wonder the Empire wanted you on their side. Any news?"

The noghri's sense was worried. "We have killed most of the creatures and made it look like an illness...or a natural death. But..." He huffed. "We could not get the ones nearest the Grand Admiral. He wears one to escort Lord Vader out. And he took another portable in with him."

"Why would he do tha...oh no." Ahsoka said in horror.

"Do you think?" Leia gasped.

The noghri nodded. "They will force him to wear it..."

"We'll have to shoot it when it gets here."

"That better be our best shot. It'll literally be right on top of him." Leia looked worried.

"And we won't be able to target it with the Force."

"I can do it." The noghri said calmly. "My people are hunters. This is what we do."

By the time they entered the hanger, Anakin felt like he'd been stepped on by an AT AT. His whole body screamed with aches he couldn't suppress with the Force. The churning inside was probably from the drug they'd given him. And his prosthetic legs felt like water but the stubs of the originals burned with increasing pressure. He knew the attack was coming but all his senses were halved. The first warning was Pellaeon's surprised cry and soft thuk of blade entering flesh. The guards released him to return fire and he sank to his knees. Two particular shots raised his head. One slammed a guard around, uninjured himself but killing the creature he carried. The other was silent, a whir of a knife being thrown and a brief thunk and squawk, the first noise he'd heard from the lizards. The Force surged back. Glancing up, he saw Leia and Ahsoka, along with the noghri, battling the guards. Rukh, Thrawn's bodyguard was going hand to hand with him. The other noghri appeared as if through a mist, slaying all in their path. Leia and Ahsoka were a whirl of blaster fire and lightsaber blades. Leia's was only a training blade and while many fell to it, none were dead.

Ahsoka threw Anakin's lightsaber. One of Thrawn's noghri bodyguards jumped to his side and freed his hands before leaping into the fray. Anakin body slammed the guards with desperate power. He kicked one hard and sent the blasters flying with a Force shove. One boomeranged back as he called it and started shooting. Then with a casual stretch of his other arm he caught his lightsaber and got to work. The world was still swimming slightly. The drug was affecting his balance and part of his attention had to fight it. Anger threatened to rise when he saw troops on an overhead balcony mow down three noghri. Rukh got in a near fatal blow to Thrawn, but aiming at the lizard first had cost the noghri surprise. Pellaeon was white with fear but wrestling Rukh from behind, who finally threw him over his shoulder into Thrawn. Leia and Ahsoka charged for a ship, diving for the ramp. Anakin worked his way toward them. The Force flickered again as he passed the shuttle they had planned to transport him on. More ysalamiri aboard?

Distracted, he scarcely saw the sudden blur that leaped and flipped through the air from behind it's ysalamiri camouflage. A lightsaber blade powered between him and his allies. In the midst of a sudden flurry of blows and with blaster fire as well, it was a long moment before his opponent was visible past the light show. Mara Jade. Her fury was obvious. Her red hair clashed with the red lightsaber she bore. She ducked underneath, whirled, came from above and below. She was driving him back toward that shuttle. He heard Thrawn's voice call out a command, but Mara gave no sign of hearing it. Green eyes blazed. "Traitor!" She spat. "It's time to face your Master."  
"I have no Master." Anakin growled. "And Palpatine was the traitor!"

There was a clatter coming from behind him and he was forced to divide attention between the woman in front and the blaster fire aiming from behind. He coiled and leaped, a Force jump high, flipping over her head toward his allies who were blocked behind a wall of stormtroopers. They'd formed a fence around him, pointing in and out! Leia and Ahsoka, even most of the noghri were near the other shuttle and trying to fight to him. But they were failing. Noghri fell, battling to the death to get through. Even as he spun to try and land behind Mara, he knew he didn't have the power to get past the trooper line in this leap. He was still affected by the drugs. Thrawn was motioning them to fall back but not break the line, denying entrance to the hoped for escape ship. He jerked in midair, yanked his legs aside to avoid the whirling lightsaber Mara threw at him. But she was an excellent multi tasker. Even as he avoided that blow she aimed down, he sensed it but couldn't react in time, something hard slammed him from the side and he dropped hard to the floor. The drug was kicking in again.

The troops were surrounding him and on top of him. There were too many, again, and he felt bitter fear rise that his allies would go down with him.

"Go." He called through the Force to his desperately fighting allies.

He felt their rejection of the command, the desperation. But he could feel darkness rising from the planet below. He kicked and bucked, sword spinning through the troops. Rage at his own weakness hit him. Power surged and he threw them off. But something felt wrong... he was tasting victory...

"Anakin!" Ahsoka called in the Force. It hit him like a cold splash. His blood seemed to sizzle and it wasn't from the restraints. He shook his head. "Go!"

He felt reluctant realization dawn on Ahsoka, despair in Leia. They grabbed their noghri allies, who resisted at first and dove into the shuttle, taking off shots blasted the engines.

"Tractor beam!" Roared Pellaeon from a long way off.

Mara landed on him, lightsaber hilt at his spine and he spasmed in pain as she punched a nerve. His vision grayed and his fingers convulsed. He gathered the Force for a desperate last stand. Better to go down fighting. Then he saw the rocket launcher, aimed at the shuttle. If it hit it on the way out it would take out half the hanger but it would also destroy the shuttle.

"Fire on my order." Thrawn said.

"But sir, it will damage the hanger..."

"On my order." The voice was chill and determined. The shuttle was wavering neither out nor in, straining against a tractor beam.

Anakin reached out, yanking at the rocket launcher as the pain of Mara's attack threatened to black him out.

"Surrender or I will blow them out of the sky, even if it takes us with it." Thrawn's voice was firm.

Anakin's heart froze. It was worth it so they wouldn't take him, even in pieces, but Ahsoka and Leia, the noghri, they did not deserve it. Then again, they wouldn't want to be taken alive either... "Let them go." He hissed, fighting for control of the launcher, ignoring pain, ignoring everything, or I'll turn it on you!"

"I'm ready to die to do my duty." Thrawn countered.

Anakin felt a sudden shift in the Force. The shuttle seemed to leap forward. He yanked the launcher away and shoved it hard as Thrawn yelled fire. The holder of it fell helpless, the weapon shattered. The blast aimed at the shuttle went wild but it would still hit. With the last of his strength, he shoved his arm past Mara's block and threw his lightsaber, activated. It collided with the blast, deflecting it away from the shuttle and flew off. A massive explosion hit the edge of the hanger, for a moment the outer shield breached and air started to rush out. But it was restored almost instantly. The pressure on his back increased and a knife appeared at his throat, joining the lightsaber hilt digging his spine. He glimpsed someone hauling another ysalamir off the shuttle and felt the Force fade as it closed in. Mara must've felt it too. She let out a soft curse. But she still had the high ground. And he was surrounded by stormtroopers and a very smug Grand Admiral.

Anakin swore silently that somehow, he'd find away to wipe away that smirk. He knew it wasn't a very Jedi thought, but he didn't care. Nonetheless, for now, he'd lost this round. No, he decided. It was a stalemate. If he'd lost, they would've gotten his rescuers too.

For a long moment he lay still, blowing hard. Pellaeon's voice rang out. "...and someone find out what happened to that tractor beam."

It flickered through Anakin's head that he'd not seen Artoo. Mara shifted, knee digging in tighter and he finally ventured, "Have you thought about going on a diet?" Anakin inquired.  
She snorted. "Maybe you should think about the diet the Emperor will put you on."

"I'm used to bad diets." He replied. "I'm also used to his lies. I take it you are still buying them. That bit about being his only Hand, for instance?"

For a moment she froze, then she snarled, "I am his only Hand!"

"He trusted no-one. Not even you. He always had someone else in the wings."

Her blade bit his neck.

"Jade." Thrawn said firmly. "I believe that's for the Emperor to decide."

"When did he develop such a smart mouth?" She demanded.

"Perhaps he had it all along. Turn off the external speaker and he could've been saying anything in that helmet."

The hanger was still in chaos. Equipment smoldered and burned, throwing sparks from the deflected blaster bolts. Wounded soldiers groaned, many missing limbs. Droids were hurrying to fix, clean up or just escape. With all eyes turned toward the cause of the chaos, none noticed one particular astromech, roll over and pick up the silvery cylinder laying on the ground. It's blue blade was still on a scorching a hole in the wall, but he flicked it off with his gripper and pulled it into his chassis. Turning, he worked his way onto the far side of the shuttle and activated an emergency maintenance hatch. With a mild astromech grumble over the tight fit, he squeezed inside and pulled it shut. Wherever Anakin was going, he was going with him. It wasn't long after before the engines rumbled and they lifted off. Listening carefully, sensors probing, he could separate Anakin's bio sign from the other's on the shuttle. Comforted to know they hadn't changed to a different ship, Artoo Detoo waited in the darkness.

The shuttle lifted off and Ahsoka and Leia fought past a cordon of Imperial fighters. "We're going to have to land. We'll never get through that." Ahsoka noted, staring with horror between the fleet and the dark planet.

"We need to contact Luke and the others." Leia's voice shook. Suddenly she stopped. "Luke? I feel him..." She paused, as if listening. "I know what we need to do." Leia said suddenly. "Can we fake an explosion, make it look like this ship was destroyed?"

"I'm not sure the faking will be required." Ahsoka observed as the blaster fire intensified.

"We need to get clear enough to eject."

"Ah. And the cloaked shuttle picks us up? That'll be tight if we don't want anyone to see it."

"I know. But Luke's on that one and you're on this one. That should count for something!"

"Okay." She peered ahead. "There, see that wreckage there? Probably another ship they intercepted. We hit the far side we'll be out of sight for a short bit."

Leia hovered by the airlock in a spacesuit, glancing back at the few surviving noghri. "Everybody ready?"

Kabarakh nodded unhappily. "I am sorry we failed you..."

"Not your fault. And we haven't given up yet."

Ahsoka yelled, "Now!" Leia dove out of the airlock, followed by the noghri. A few seconds later Ahsoka followed. The shuttle airlock shut behind her and continued on a preprogrammed course. They jetted for the nearby wreckage and not surprisingly, the shuttle blew up a few seconds later, blasted by multiple weapons fire.

"I sure hope there aren't any secret relay sensors on this heap." Ahsoka muttered, gloved hand holding a projection on the derelict. "Hurry Luke. They might look for survivors." They hustled into the remains of the derelicts hanger. Abruptly, the shuttle decloaked.

"Hurry! They'll detect it any second..." Leia ran for the shuttle and hurried aboard. Han, Chewbacca and Luke started at the flood of grey, space suited aliens. "They're with us. Kabarakh, this is Anakin's, uh, Vader's son, my brother Luke."

Luke and Han looked at each other in surprise. "Oh. You're the noghri..."

"Go, we're in" Ahsoka called. Chewbacca hit the cloaking device and Han spun the ship back out.

"Where to?"

Leia swallowed. "Down."

"What happened?"

"I am sorry. There were too many. A female with a lightsaber...she took us off guard." Kabarakh said unhappily.

"Mara Jade?" Luke asked.

"Apparently. She was really good. So was Thrawn. They boxed Anakin in. They risked us getting away but not with him," Ahoska said.

Luke sighed, swallowing fear for his father. "Wait, where's Artoo?"

Leia's lips were tight. "He went to turn of the tractor beam. We thought he'd join us...I guess he couldn't catch up. And we couldn't wait."

"So, he might be with Father?"

Ahsoka's brow furrowed and then a quirk of a smile appeared. "You know, he just might be. If anyone could find a way, it's him. And he has an advantage, people overlook droids."

"Let's hope so." Han stared at the planet as they closed in. "Because if there is one thing I find unnerving, it's the idea that a man who was Darth Vader was terrified of this place."

_to be continued_


	13. Chapter 13

Lando and Obi-Wan stood side by side on the Alliance cruiser. Piett stood nearby, under guard, but silent. Finally he asked, "what happened?"

"I second the question. Something has obviously gone wrong." Lando stated.

Obi-Wan's expression was troubled. "They couldn't get him out."  
"So he's on Byss? In that krayt's dragon den of the dark side? And all those Jedi who would be better off anywhere else are going after him?"

Obi-Wan nodded grimly.

Even Piett looked troubled.

See Threepio was talking to Padme and pointing at a monitor. She turned to the others.

"Hey. You should see this." Her voice was troubled too. "We've intercepted some communiques."

"About our people?"

"Well...yes and no."

Piett was closest and, with an uncertain look at his guards, looked at the information. "Oh."

"My feelings precisely, sir." Threepio intoned, hands in the air. "It makes no sense. Surely he can't be in two places at once?"

Obi-Wan leaned over. "What is it?"

A holo image appeared of a familiar figure, striking down a leader of one of the planet's that had just joined the Alliance. The figure struck down member after member of the group while stormtroopers held them at gunpoint. Black cloak, red lightsaber..."

"It's a fake." Padme said. "One of the ones Bail's contacts turned up."

Obi-Wan searched the Force. His eyes fell on the time stamp.

"He was with us...or at least, no where near there."

Obi-Wan felt an odd shiver in the Force. "The events are not fake. But anyone could be in that armor. They move like a Force user, however."

Lando stared thoughtfully. He put his hands on his hips, walked back and forth, eyes on the ground with cape swaying. "You know..." He spun suddenly toward Piett. "That file said only the highest ranking knew about Vader being Anakin Skywalker. How many is that, exactly?

Piett blinked quickly. "I only knew because of the Emperor's agent. It was a need to know basis. I suspect Thrawn knew, and Pellaeon. Thrawn had been giving the Emperor's Hand's support, though supposedly the Emperor...or whoever we thought was him...gave directions."

"So most of the Empire doesn't know. And if they don't know and Vader reappeared as his former evil self, they'd follow? Wouldn't he be heir apparent?"

"Well..." Piett considered. "Certainly the fleet would follow him. Most of the others would, or at least pretend too, even if they hoped to eliminate him later."

"Assassinate him?"

"It's been tried, and not just by the Alliance."

Kenobi nodded. "It's possible that someone is pretending to be him to gain his position. Or at least, convince the Alliance it isn't worth the risk of keeping him alive."

Padme cringed. "But wouldn't they need his power and skill too?"

"That is what worries me. Yes, they probably would and that means Force sensitive and trained in the dark arts."

Piett looked skeptical. "It's difficult to imagine just anyone, Force trained or not, convincing Thrawn, Isard and the other Grand Admirals that they should follow him. A good many encountered Vader and would notice differences. And the orders were said to come from the Emperor."

"But we know he's dead." Padme said firmly.

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed. "Piett, if you had to guess, who would you think based on sheer skill, could accomplish rulership of the Empire, by tactics, and put a false front in place of Vader?"

Piett was silent for a long moment. "If anyone could pull it off...Thrawn. He cares about the final result and less about personal power."

Anakin sat in the shuttle, eyes half shut, focusing on controlling himself. The dark side felt like a hungry krayt dragon, even with the ysalamir blocking him. His fear distracted him. He forced himself to turn inward again, analyzing that odd, white noise type of blockage that negated his power. It would be very useful to be able to do it himself as well as escape it.

"Whatever your doing it won't work." Mara said sharply.

Anakin opened his eyes. "What makes you think I'm doing anything?"

"You're concentrating."

"I might just be pondering what it'll take to open your eyes."

"My eyes are open."

"You see only what he wanted you to see. He took you from your family, raised you to be a weapon and lied to you all the way. You seek justice and order and peace. But there is no justice in an Empire he built on lies and a war that he started just to gain power."

"You are lying." She snarled with emphasis.

"I'm not. And I dare you... I dare you to look for yourself. The evidence is there. Transmissions between him and Dooku during the Clone Wars, secret transmissions between two men supposedly on opposite sides!"

"You probably faked them."

"Ha! Why bother? I was a Jedi when it happened Mara, and I believed the lies and I saw the betrayal. If I learned how to falsify evidence and spin the truth I learned it from him!"

She smacked him, hard. He didn't sense it coming, but in spite of the sharp pain he had to hide a smile. If doubt wasn't there, she wouldn't need to lash out.

"You're going down, Vader. No matter what you say."

"The name is Anakin. And the question isn't am I going down for the truth, but are you going to be a slave to a lie."

"Shut up! Just, shut up! When did you get this talkative!"

"When I acknowledged the truth."

Mara fumed as the ship came in for a landing. It set down and guards hurried up. They pinned Anakin down while he was still under the ysalamiri influence and hit him with a stun pike. He sagged, fighting the creeping unconsciousness with his head reeling. They dragged him out and he could feel the Force returning as they left the ysalamir influence. When he didn't fall right away they hit again and held the stun pike on him, shocking his nervous system. He cried out and as he spiraled toward darkness at last, he glimpsed the cylindrical form of Artoo squeeze out of the maintenance hatch. But before the droid could react to him, he was out cold and thrown in a Force cage.

Artoo had popped out in the shadows, unnoticed by the enemy. He skirted the docking port lights and raced after the Force cage as they steered it away. Not this time, the droid was determined. Once, he had not challenged Anakin's odd behavior and left him alone with a man who would be Emperor. That man had reprogrammed him into a heartless killing machine. Artoo would not let it happen again.

Anakin stirred painfully awake as they clamped him in place. Eyes rolling weakly, trying to summon the Force, he tried to take stock of his surroundings. He was still trying to focus when a sharp pain stuck him in the neck. He cried out involuntarily and jerked, to see a floating IT-O interrogator droid float away, a now empty syringe in it's grip. He knew what was normally in that syringe. He suspected what was in there now was something else. Pain was spreading from the injection and the ominous purplish color staining in that syringe told him it was something new. He rolled his eyes around, flexed his wrists and noticed he was locked down at all of his joints to a metal scaffold. It reminded him of awakening in the armor for the first time. Fear jolted him and he started a Jedi meditation exercise to counter it. But it was hard, not only was the room in darkness with the dark colored droids, for the organic guards were gone, but the Force itself felt thick and heavy. His mouth was very dry.

"You will pay for your betrayal, apprentice." The familiar voice gave him a start, coming from inside his head as well as the room.

"Who are you!" He demanded, trying to force his voice to challenge, rather than croak.

"You know who I am. I am your Master, sworn in by innocent blood." The mental image of fallen younglings stirred at this. Anakin firmly refused to focus on it.

"No. Palpatine is dead. Sidious is dead. I killed him myself. I saw him die, and I felt it!" Anakin reached for calm but the unnerving way the voice spoke inside his head, the sheer familiarity gave him chills. He shuddered.

"I do believe your son will come for you. I will let you live long enough to witness him and his friends die, in pain and hatred, feeling betrayed."

"They wouldn't come here. I warned them away!"

The voice mocked him. "You know that your son will come."

Creeping panic was threatening to choke him. He reached for calm, reached for the light…and a blast of agony roared through him. He screamed as one of the droid's slammed him with a shock pike, again and again. Anakin slammed his mouth shut, champing his tongue, fighting the urge to scream. His enemy enjoyed it, he must not give him the advantage. His own fury rose, rocking the room causing a pipe to burst.

"Father! No!" Luke could feel the surge of dark side energy, the reversion and reawakening of a dark Lord. He broke into a sprint, Leia and Ahsoka charging headlong beside him.

Anakin's eyes rolled open, furious, shifting to a yellow acid hue. They would not take his family! This pretender to the throne would not! The room shook but the restraints held. He ground his teeth as the pain rushed through and he turned it to power, slamming the droid with the prod away into the far wall. But he still couldn't break the restraints. He heard the maniacal laughter in the back of his mind, pleased. Through his pain he felt a cold splash of realization. He reached for the Force to calm himself, seeking light but all he could feel was darkness, a darkness that burned ice cold and freezing starting at his neck…he glimpsed a small shape roll into the room and peer around a door frame…saw it shoot a wad of electricity that knocked out the IT-O. The IT-O! The syringe! Realization brought fresh panic. It wasn't some sort of truth serum but a Sith chemical cocktail designed to boost adrenaline and rage in the blood. It was designed to break and shatter a Jedi's defenses and it was well known to work. It would certainly work on a man who had already tasted the dark. The fear slithering in him turned his stomach.

"Perhaps a more personal reminder." The voice said with a sneer in his mind. A mask slid from overhead and slammed down over his nose and mouth, covering his eyes with a viewscreen and he thrashed as a sulphur smell overwhelmed him. Claustrophobia, an after effect from his years imprisoned in the mask, overwhelmed him. His heart thundered. His lungs screamed and he held his breath, knowing the fumes were caustic. Then fire roared up and a circle around the flame of a cylindrical cage, creeping in closer and closer.

Panic powering his efforts he felt the rage exploding…he couldn't control it! It took a sudden, desperate effort and suddenly he shifted gears. He couldn't control his emotions, not pumped full of drugs. He let go of the Force, pushed himself away as much as possible. "NO!" The cry was purely mental and aimed at his tormenter.

The view screen flickered. The voice whispered. Watch as they die at your hand. Watch. The view shifted to a holocam view, showing Darth Vader striding toward figures in the distance. He had royal guards in attendance. Ahsoka, Luke, Leia….all turned and stared in horror and disbelief. He felt them recoil, reject…but partly believe…Worse, the view shifted so he could see through it's eyes and he felt the framework he was on twitch, as if it were his arms and body striking at them. A voice, his voice, rose in his ears, mocking them. Mocking how easy it had been to fool them and lure them here...

Anakin's rage grew again. So close. All it would take was letting loose once, one powerful Force shove to free himself and go to them. What matter if he had to use the dark to do it? They thought he'd already fallen, even Luke!

A sudden squeal and Artoo raced past, circling away. One of the droids in the room shorted and fell, courtesy of Artoo. He couldn't see it but he could hear it.

Artoo, defending him. He tried to focus on that instead. He couldn't watch this, but the device wouldn't let him close his eyes. He felt a short gasp escape, a brief inhalation and his insides burned, his body fought to cough and he fought to resist knowing more of the chemical would be sucked in. The fire burned and he flashed back to Mustafar.

"_You were my brother, Anakin!" _He could feel the despair in his Master's voice, it echoed from the past, matching his family battling the dark Vader look-a-like in the holo view. If he couldn't avoid using the dark side…Eyes widening and then narrowing, he turned his fury on himself, tightening the Force around his throat. He wouldn't breathe in the caustic fumes but he would die of oxygen deprivation. But he had to hold on while his head swam and he got light headed. He would die in the dark but he wouldn't hurt anyone in the process. The thought upset him and tears sprang to his eyes. He wished he could let them know he loved them. The dark side flickered, a spark of light breaking through.

Artoo took the ultimate chance. He'd gotten ahold of shock pulse, a droid deactivator, and hurled it at the torture lab droids. He rolled back out the door as fast as possible. He barely got out of range, one of the droid's reached for him…and fell with over with a clunk as the wave hit. Artoo was barely out of range and wheeled back. Now if only he could figure out how to free Anakin...before it was too late.

_to be continued_


	14. Chapter 14

With shocking suddenness, cold spray splashed over Anakin. He gasped and got a partial dose of the gas, but the mask was already lifting away. Coughing and gasping, he sucked in ordinary air tinged with smoke. Blinking frantically as the room swam into view, he fell as the scaffolding manacles released him. He hit the still warm but soaked floor of the platform with a heavy thud. For a long moment, he folded in a fetal position on his side, coughing as if he'd hack his lungs out. Suds were soaking him, cooling and stinging the minor burns. Suddenly another mask dropped and he shied away in fright, only to hear a reassuring series of beeps. He blinked, recognized Artoo holding out a medkit mask with real oxygen and medicine.

He took it, cautiously inspected it and sucked in a deep breath through it. He wrapped his arms around his knees, still holding it and just breathing. He wiped his eyes on his sleeves, tearing from emotional agony rather than smoke. He was still shaking, adrenaline rattling him. Still afraid and angry, no, outraged. His family was still in danger.

"Artoo." He finally found strength to whisper. "I need an antidote for what they injected me with and I need it fast." It was enough challenge to fight his own emotional angst. He couldn't compete with the drug too.

The droid beeped and spun toward the IT-0, plugging into it. It rocked, resisting the intrusion but Artoo persisted. Discovering the drug was only half the solution. After he dropped the IT-O, he spun toward the lab computer and plugged in, rushing through files faster than the human eye could hope to follow. He finally let out a triumphant beep, turned to look at Anakin who still shook, shuddering, feeling his rescuers horror in the Force. Anakin rose, looked at the name of the drug flashing on the screen and it's location. Artoo gave a disturbed whimper when he saw Anakin's eyes and their yellow hue. Striding through the lab, Anakin left the main area that Artoo had wrecked and followed him to a storage room full of medicines, drugs and poisons. Finding the right one, he paused, chewing his lip. What if the file was wrong? What if it was a misdirection?

As if summoned, the Emperor's voice rose in his mind. "There is no cure, apprentice. Nothing will wash the blood from your hands. Do you really think I'd make a drug to counteract such a glorious effect?"

Anakin looked at Artoo, trembling. "Artoo…files can be altered. Are you sure this is right? Everything depends on it."

The voice whispered, "Why try? Use your power, save your family...the drug will wait."

He shook his head. Right now the dark side clouded his vision as the stress and chemical caused fury interacted with his powers. Once he made a choice though, no drug would undo it.

The droid gave a confident beep and Anakin filled a syringe, swallowed, banished the voice and took the shot. The room swam and his legs gave out. For a few minutes the Force itself seemed to vanish. This was almost a mercy, as even without the forced view screen image he could feel the battle with his family in the Force. He felt their confusion, hurt, fear and sense of betrayal.

"Go to the others, Artoo. Tell them that it's not me their fighting. Get help."

The droid squawked in distressed objection.

"Lock the door behind you. I'll follow when I can."

Artoo moaned reluctantly and rocked. Reaching into his chassis with a gripper, he pulled out Anakin's lightsaber and offered it. Anakin just stared at it. Artoo, determined, dropped it in his limp hand before hurrying out the door and locking it behind him.

The droid hurried off in the direction he knew the others were coming from. He'd seen that in the computer while searching for cure. Soon he saw the bewildering clash of the false Vader's red lightsaber against Luke and Ahsoka's green ones. They were working in concert, both distressed and shocked. Leia and Han were behind, frantically shooting at the royal guards. Several were down all ready. Leia had abandoned her training saber in favor of one of their own force pikes and kept flattening them.

Artoo wailed as he reached her, grabbing her with a pincer and bumping her.

"Not now, We're busy! Someone turned on us…" Han snarled.

Artoo screeched a negative, determined to drag Leia off. She finally looked at him. The droid rocked and bounced desperately. "Okay, okay, I'm coming…" She glanced at Luke and Ahsoka's fight, scowling. She'd just about let her guard down and trusted him! Still, there was something off.

She ran after Artoo, Han swearing behind her. Fortunately most of the royal guards had already been dealt with. The noghri had fallen back in confusion, no longer knowing what to believe. One had fallen to Vader's sword. Kabarakh just missed being decapitated, but he was so close that his nostrils suddenly fluttered and his eyes widened in shock and anger. "You are not Lord Vader!" He cried. A Force shove slammed into him and set him flying. For a long moment he lay still, dazed, staring at the sky. Then he noticed the Princess race past. Scrambling up, looking between her and the fight, he followed.

"My lady! We must find Lord Vader!"

Han spun, blaster aimed at him.

"He found us, remember, and after we tried to save him!"

"No!" Kabarakh cried. "It is an imposter. It is not his scent!"

Han sputtered and whirled after Leia, nearly colliding with her as she slammed to a stop. She looked back at Kabarakh, frowning. Artoo, noticing they'd stopped, bounced with hysterical impatience. "Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Lead on Artoo! Take us to him!" She turned back and chased after Artoo who took off at top speed.

Anakin's head cleared slowly. He was still angry and afraid, but persistent Jedi meditation pushed the red black cloud from his vision and clarity slowly returned. His eyes faded back to their normal blue. The Force was dark on this whole world. But he pushed it away from him. It might cut him off and isolate him, but he wouldn't let it back in. Feeling more than a little sick, he slowly rose. He reached with the Force past the door. No-one close, but distant alarms were screaming. Carefully he unlocked it and paused in the hall. His first instinct was to race to the far off battle between his look a like and his family. But something made him hesitate. Eyes scanning the corridor, he turned slowly toward a distant door. He carefully stepped to it, lightsaber ready but not ignited, and stepped in. Cloning cylinders lined the room. They ranged the gamut in size, the nearest ones about infant sized, the distant ones were huge. Even from here, he could see one of them bore something like a cross between a rancor and a krayt dragon. It writhed as if in pain in it's tank.

Slowly, he strode the aisle, looking at the experiments. Mixed breed cloning. Combining DNA of different species. Genetic splicing to make them meaner, more aggressive, or conversely, more obedient. Some looked human. Some looked like children or younglings and these gave him the worst shudder. Bred for evil, what could be done to prevent it? Kill them? Rescue them? What would best counter the dark side instead of feeding it? Then he looked closer and realized they were mostly deceased. Only one was alive.

Finally coming to a row of adult humans, in various states and combinations, he took longer, harder looks. One bore an exoskeleton like armor, but he could see veins in it, as if the experiment had gone wrong. Another rolled eyes that clearly could not see. "Oh…this is gruesome." He had been here before, long ago. But he'd never been interested much in these experiments, except as they might teach him how to heal the damage received on Mustafar. Finally he came to an empty one. It was in pride of place and he felt a strong connection to it. This one was important. Very important. He looked for any data on what it might have contained, but all he found was a sign labeled : Experiment Alpha Omega Zee Three Eight.

"Hurry back, Artoo." He muttered. He turned to the lab computers and started inputting data, searching for files on that tank. "Access denied." He tried his codes as Darth Vader. "Access denied." He paused, pulled up recent access data, hoping for a clue from who did have access. He hissed as he read it. Only the Emperor had had actual access to the files.

"I killed him. I know I did." He complained. So how did he hear the man's cursed voice in his head?

It suddenly dawned on him there might be other Jedi here for research. There was a list of unaccounted for Jedi. And he remembered with sudden horror having the agricorp Jedi brought here, and padawans, ostensibly for questioning. Some of those younglings back there were probably once padawans. He hurried through the cloning chamber, searching for others. As far as he could recall, all of the agricorp members fell to the dark side and ended up working in places like this one. But he couldn't chance missing something. The thought flickered that his family needed him and these could wait. He dismissed it. Luke and Ahsoka were trained knights. The noghri were warriors and Solo and the wookiee were anything but easy kills. And anyone out for Leia would've had to go through them.

Artoo twittered in dismay at the open door. He sounded very grumpy.

"Did you leave him here Artoo?"

The droid gave an affirmative beep.

"When?"

The droid plugged into a console to deliver the important message. "While they were fighting the false Vader."

"So where is he?" Han flung his hands in the air. "You'd think if he knew, he'd come do something about it!"

"But we did not pass him, perhaps…" Kabarakh considered.

Leia closed her eyes, reaching with fledgling Force powers for the man she'd hated for so long. "Close. I think…this way." She hurried toward the distant door.

Leia gasped as she saw him, part relief, part confusion and part anger. "What are you doing? Your doppelganger is out there trying to kill Luke and Ahsoka!"

Anakin looked up, unable to stop a flicker of a relieved smile. "Good to see you too. I'm trying to find out who and what my doppelganger is." The smile vanished, eyes widening. "Something tells me he came out of there…" he motioned to the empty stasis chamber. "And...we should look for prisoners here. Artoo, can you break into these files? Even my access codes aren't working, and judging from the logs the only one who ever had access is the Emperor himself."

The droid gave a semi scolding "don't scare me like that"' beep and rolled up to interface with the computer.

"Oh, this place is creepy." Han said blinking, wide eyed as he finally caught up. Kabarakh was turning round and round.

"Are you all right, My Lord?"

Anakin flinched at the address. "Um. Yes. No, not really, but I will be once we take this impostor down."

"No ideas on who it is?" Leia demanded anxiously. She could sense Luke and Ahsoka's desperate battle in the Force.

"No."

Leia tried to signal Luke. No answer. "They're too busy fighting to answer. And they still think it's you!"

"Artoo?"

The droid gave an angry beep. He was doing the best he could.

"I know. I'm sorry…" Anakin hurried off into the large room again, poking his head into alcoves.

Han and Kabarakh trotted after while Chewbacca guarded the door. "What are we looking for?"

"People."

For a few minutes they found numerous odd creations floating in tanks. Mutations and cross species creatures, some malformed, many in pain ... then Kabarakh called out, "My Lord?"

Anakin hurried over, ignoring the honorific. He peered in where Kabarakh motioned. One alcove bore a tank and various cylinders on one side. On the other, a force cage. Inside a woman was bound, red hair filthy and tangled, clothes threadbare, a slave collar and cuffs on wrists and throat which were also chained to the cage. She looked like a wild creature herself. Anakin eyed her and carefully approached. She leaped back, teeth bared and snarled. He froze.

There was something vaguely familiar about her Force signature but he couldn't quite place it. She looked about Ahsoka's age. One of the padawans, for certain. For a long moment, Anakin wracked his memory. Yes. She'd been captured right before Endor. She'd been on Mandalore. Her name was...Ester something. Scout. The memory finally flared, bringing pain. _"I'm so glad you aren't here to kill me." _Whie Malreaux, her companion had said when they were rescued on a mission. But he had killed the boy. Palpatine had found her through sources of his own, working as a scientist and first aid medic. He had been interested in her. It was not because of her Force skills, which were far weaker than average. But because that combined with her science training suffering might make her breakable and usable for his work.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Scout." His voice was soft.

"Can we get her out? Or...if we let you out, you won't attack us will you?" Leia asked. The woman was wildly distrustful.

"We're breaking out too, so now is the time, Scout."

Luke and Ahsoka saw Leia and the others run. "Even your Princess has abandoned you, Skywalker."

Your Princess? Not your sister? Luke's eyes widened and in the midst of the clashing blades, he caught Ahsoka's eyes. She too, frowned at the comment. Then realization hit, confirming his own thoughts.

He almost said it, but the minute shake of her head, the warning in the Force, said not to give it up. Ahsoka flipped in ataru style over his head, spun from behind the dark being's lightsaber aiming for her back. She had no doubts now and no regrets. The red sword countered hers but Luke leaped at the same time, slamming into him with a Force shove as Ahsoka leaped and flipped again. The being sailed into the toxic stream with a disturbing splash. It carried him back, away from the citadel and the two Jedi turned and ran after Leia. Looking back once, Ahsoka saw the being leap free in a Force haze of fury. It pursued but they had a good lead.

_to be continued_


	15. Chapter 15

They could feel the enemy gaining, rage carrying him on. They entered the citadel lab and slammed the door behind them, casting every piece of furniture in front of it they could find, with the Force.

"There are bound to be other ways in." Ahsoka said, as they left it at the run.

"There better be other ways out." Luke said, his eyes widened. "Father! I can feel him!" They raced past a room open with shattered components and fallen droids, a hint of pain and rage filtering out. They both checked stride and looked at each other, then continued on, past an ominous room of bottles and drugs. Racing around the corner together they found the others looking around a huge cloning chamber and lab.

"Father!"

"Anakin!"

"Are you all right?" Luke gasped. "We felt…we thought…"

Anakin turned from the young woman.

Ahsoka flung her arms around the Jedi for a moment before pulling back.

He flushed. "I'm sorry. It was really close. They used a Sith drug on me, and they…"

"Were torturing you." Luke said, eyes wide with worry.

Anakin smiled weakly and motioned to Artoo. "Fortunately our secret weapon rescued me."

The droid gave a distracted beep.

Ahsoka looked over his shoulder and gasped. "Scout? Oh no..."

The other woman's head cocked and she frowned, her agitation fading somewhat.

Han was kneeling by the door, trying to short circuit the lock of the cell.

"Listen he is right behind us, whoever he is."

"That's what Artoo is trying to find out."

"I think it…he, is one of these experiments. Something about that cloning cylinder drew me. Whatever it is, only the Emperor had access."

They were all silent as a storm of fury flickered in the Force. Loud crashes and bangs sounded in the hall.

"He's coming." Ahsoka said. "We blocked that entrance, but…"

Anakin's lips tightened.

"We really thought…." Leia said, ashamed.

Anakin shook his head. "I can't blame you. I may not have been attacking you in that black suit, but I was close to letting him loose." He shuddered. "I keep hearing Palpatine's voice in my head."

"Impossible."

"Yes, that's the problem."

"Maybe your hallucinating out of panic." Han snorted. "I really wish I believed that." Anakin replied, to Han's surprise. "I've got a feeling it's much worse."

A horrifying crash and storm of sheer power was right outside the hall.

"You guys really think this is a good place for a fight?" Han was looking around at the array of strange things in the tanks. "What if he looses these things and they're on his side?"

Anakin looked down at the monsters on the lower level. The tanks were so large they reached to the ceiling on this one.

"Good point. We should face him out there. Artoo, keep plugging away. See if what they did to those two prisoners and if we can free them without killing them. Leia…would you and Han please stay with him? And you too Kabarakh?"

Han grumbled, still struggling with the cell door. So far he wasn't making any progress. The security was top notch. But Leia nodded. The noghri looked reluctant, but Anakin's eyes met his and slid to Leia. Reading the meaning, the grey creature nodded.

She looked at Han as the others raced out. "Did you really want to face that….fake Vader?"

"No. I just hate knowing the trouble is right around our corner."

Anakin, Ahsoka and Luke charged into the hall. Anakin was feeling stronger now, more focused, more in control of his emotions. His lightsaber activated and he leaped forward, blade out as he hit the outer wall. The fake Vader leaped back, chest panel smoking from the swipe. It growled in fury. It charged at Anakin, who was now in a corner. But as it moved Luke shot around the side and attacked from the rear. Now besieged on two sides, it spun the other way, toward the cloning chamber only to have Ahsoka forming a blade wall against the flurry of saber strikes. Suddenly the black gloved hand lifted away from the sword and as Anakin swung from behind, blasted Luke with Sith lightning. He went flying back down the hall, skidding on the floor as his lightsaber deactivated. He managed to hold onto it though.

But the fake Vader had taken advantage to whirl from under Anakin's attack, away from Ahsoka and toward Luke. Before Luke could get into position to block he darted through another door, which led to wide passage and ended in a balcony over a wide atrium. As they charged after, another Force blast lifted Ahsoka and threw her over toward the ground. Anakin yelled and reached for her with the Force, preventing a fatal crash. The armored enemy blasted him with Sith lightning, but Luke's lightsaber danced into it's path. Ahsoka having landed safely, Anakin lunged at the enemy's side. The red blade countered with one hand while still blasting Luke with the other. Luke pressed forward, ignoring the lightning licking his fingers. Anakin got a blow in at the legs but the other leaped onto the rail, flipped and landed below.

Ahsoka had just picked herself up and barely got her lightsaber up in time to block the overhead attack. Luke and Anakin leaped over the rail after him. The circled the enemy on three sides. Anakin's eye slid to the outer area, a flicker of movement worried him. Enemies coming, one with a scout walker. And there was a bridge out there over a chasm leading to a tower across the way.

They harried the enemy, who threw things at them with the Force, spun in furious juyo style attacks and alternated with sith lightning.

"Fools. You've traded power for weakness. You'll never leave here. I'll leave you to suffer and rot in the experimental wing. I won't even grant the mercy of death."

"Dream on." Anakin fired back at the eerily familiar voice.

"Talks a lot, this one." Ahsoka snorted, striking with an overhead, overhanded leap.

The battle carried them outside toward the bridge. Anakin's eyes rolled up to the scout walker across the way. It fired a blast and Ahsoka just dodged it. They had to stay in close to the foe, or risk getting shot. Even as he thought it, the battle drifted away and a shot aimed at him, forcing him to block. Heat washed over him and he had to anchor himself in the Force to keep the blow his lightsaber countered from slamming him head over heels.

Anakin allowed himself to feel a surge of power, through his legs, sprang up high, flipped, altering speed in the middle and landed right behind the false Vader in time to swing the sword down at the face. The mask shattered, smoking and the being cried out. But it kept fighting, if anything, madder than ever.

"Who are you?" Anakin demanded fiercely.

"I am your master and your breaker and your bane! I am the Sith!" The voice was Palpatine's. As he got a good look, he gasped. The yellow eyes bored through the smoke and dazzle of battle, face slightly wrinkled, sneering, hair gold but redder…

Anakin reeled a half step at the face and even Luke and Ahsoka started.

"Uh." Ahsoka blinked at the face of her old master…almost. It was subtly different, not just due to rage. It had a hint of Palpatine in the forehead, hair…but it was shaped like Anakin's face, his brows, his chin... Palpatine's voice…

Artoo shrieked in outrage when he found the file. Anakin would not be happy!

"What! What'd you find!" Han demanded. He hurried to the console, glancing back at Leia who moved slowly, as if she was seeing something else.

The noghri hissed. Han looked down at the holo and the files. "Oh…my…."

Leia finally came out of her internal view of the battle in the Force. "What…oh my word. They did a cloning experiment, splicing Anakin's and the Emperor's DNA?"

Artoo burbled in distress.

"I agree, got a feeling he is not going to like it. Why would he do that?"

"Already not liking it." Leia shuddered. "But it makes some sense. Obi-Wan said Anakin was the strongest Jedi ever born. We don't know Palpatine's midichlorian count, but he may have hope to gain some of that extra power.

Artoo wailed a warning. He showed the security cam, more guards coming.

"That's it. Let's go."

"But the girl?"

"Artoo, can you get her out?"

The droid gave a negative beep followed by an explanation they couldn't follow.

"We'll circle back." Han said. "Preferably with someone with a lightsaber to cut through that door."

"I'm not sure even a lightsaber will cut that."

Anakin had already figured out the truth and he had to fight a sense of outrage as well as the external battle. Even three on one the battle was intense. Force lightning crackled, blades crashed and this Sith replacement had sheer speed and ferocity of a wild thing. But the battle was to become more complicated as yet more of the Royal Guards poured from the nearest barracks. Some in black robes, some red, some Force trained. Anakin ducked a force pike blow to his back, kicking without looking and sent the guard flying. But he'd hit the pike itself and his leg shivered, nearly going numb. He staggered. The new Emperor made a violent series of swings at him, simultaneously blocking Luke and Ahsoka, who were distracted by the incoming guards. . Luke's eyes went wide as a red haired woman bearing a lightsaber charged him. They tangled in ferocious combat and a sudden fierce pain lit his arm as she pulled out a blaster one handed and shot his hand. He lost his grip with that hand but compensated with the other.

Anakin had been blocked his attacker but was knocked to the ground in the process. He saw Mara and yelled, "It isn't the Emperor! Look at his face! It's a trick, Mara! You always believed in justice, you are fighting for a lie!"

"You're the liar!" Mara fired back, her blade threatening to take Luke's knees, but he jumped over and back. His father believed in Mara. The thought flashed through his mind. He wanted to reach her. "We can prove it! Just look at him!"

"What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"Search for feelings Mara! You felt the Emperor die!" Anakin yelled, scrabbling on his back, blocking the blows from above and trying to get room to stand.

Mara cast a glare his way as her blade locked with Luke's. "You betrayed him!" Suddenly Leia, Han and the noghri appeared. The noghri charged forward. Kabarakh threw a knife. The enemy spun, not looking and the blade shot back at him. Leia yanked him back with a Force pull just in time to prevent him being skewered.

Anakin took the momentary advantage to leap up and forward, trying for a ground to sky sweep. The other blocked him and slammed his fist into his face crackling with electricity, which Anakin ducked under and sprang away. He was backed onto the bridge now and the foe was between him and the others, but then, the guards were on the other side too.

They battled back across the bridge, while the scout walker took occasional shots at his allies. Ahsoka's lightsaber twirled madly as she backed toward the bridge. Anakin's heart slammed into his throat and he yelled as the scout walker fired. Ahsoka leaped forward back into the middle of the guards as the bridge cracked and shook violently. The first part of the span crumbled. Anakin's distorted image gave a wicked grin and his speed increased. Anakin was backed toward the walker, past it. He tried to veer aside only to find another scout walker firing a line of death at him. He was being driven. Anakin knew he was being steered and driven toward the tower. They entered the door and Anakin whirled trying an avalanche assault which was blocked, shifted into a side attack and manage to leave shiim mark on the others arm but went flying as the other bound his lightsaber blade one handed while striking with Sith lightning with the other. Anakin crashed dizzily to the ground and far wall. The other might have taken him right there, but Anakin's eyes lit on a switch and he flicked it. The floor lifted him up to the upper levels, leaving his enemy's roar of fury in his wake. Breathing hard, he rolled off and slammed his lightsaber into the elevator electronics. They shorted and sizzled just as it started to go back down, but still, he sensed his foe rising. He must have stairs nearby.

Artoo Detoo jetted over the bridge during the chaos, and went largely ignored unless someone fell over him. He hurried to the tower, circling from another angle to avoid the scout walkers tromping along the path.

Luke's eyes held Mara's. "Why are you doing this? If you believe in justice, why serve a man whose rule is based on murder and lies?"

"It's not! He saved the galaxy from chaos!"

"He created the chaos so people would think he was needed to save the galaxy! It was an excuse!"

"Vader has fed you lies."

"No. The Emperor fed him the lies! My aunt and uncle were murdered, just for buying a droid!" Luke blocked her attack and was forced to drop, roll and slice the legs out from under a security droid. He came back up. "They didn't know anything and they were slaughtered! And what about Alderaan? Do you honestly believe everyone there was a rebel?"

"Alderaan was Tarkin and Vader's doing."

"You are being willfully blind." Ahsoka, was at Luke's back now, defending him from oncoming guards. The Emperor knew what he was building and why. We can prove our position. The Force can prove it to you."

Mara ground her teeth, leaped and planted a kick that sent Luke flying. He bounced up, rubbing his chest.

"Let go of your fear." Ahsoka advised her.

"I'm not afraid."

"Aren't you? How old were you when the Emperor took you? Do you remember your parents? The Jedi would've given them a choice, did the Emperor give that choice to them? Have you known anything else?"

"You are stronger than this Mara Jade." Luke said firmly, putting his faith in his father. He could see potential in the woman too. "Stronger than your fear. You aren't a cold blooded murderer. You served for justice. Well, step back and face the truth." Luke stepped back, withdrawing from the fight. She stepped after him. Ahsoka kept defending Luke, allowing him room to talk. "You don't have to live in the dark Mara. You would be welcomed elsewhere." He cocked his head. "You know, if you take time to sort it out, even if we're lying, we'll still be around for you to try and kill later."

Mara glared, teeth grinding. She glanced back at the tower. She backed away from Luke and Ahsoka, eyes half shut and reached into the Force. Shock, despair and anger crossed her face.

"If the Emperor is dead it's because you and your father killed him!" She advanced.

Luke backed away. "He ordered the destruction of the entire Jedi Order, right down to the younglings and he tricked my father into doing it for him! We can prove it…Artoo has it recorded..." Suddenly realization hit. "Where is Artoo?"

"If your referring to the droid, it went that way." Mara motioned with her head to the tower.

Luke's eyes met hers. "Care to come with us and see that proof?"

Mara glanced around, noted that, for the moment, there were few guards left. Her eyes flickered with surprise. Leia came up alongside Luke, looking at Mara. "We need to hurry."

Luke edged to the side of the chasm, flinching as laser blasts from the scout walkers sent up molten metal and smoke. Mara staggered as the blast rocked her.

"They don't seem too concerned about your welfare." Leia yelled over the noise.

Mara glared at her. Ahsoka broke into a run, slid to a halt further along the rim in the shadows, broke into a run again and leaped. She hit the bridge rolling and started dodging and weaving past the laser blasts. The rest of the bridge rumbled and rocked behind her.

"Ahsoka!" Luke yelled, startled by the sudden charge.

"We have to get over there!" Leia yelled.

_to be continued_


	16. Chapter 16

The enemy chased Anakin all the way to the tower's throne room.

"You are the same weakling who failed to save his poor pathetic mother." His enemy gloated.

Anakin snarled, a blast of rage urged him upward. The other's lightsaber countered his blade with a block. The other spun back with a blast of Force lightning. Anakin countered and for an instant the creature merged in his mind, his shadows blending with those of the tusken raiders.

"Father no!" Anakin felt his son crying out at his blast of fury. Ahsoka's cry of warning was closer.

Anakin felt their combined blast of light searing through his mind and leaped away, forcing calm and shifting into the defensive moves of soresu form. His mother would not want him to fall again.

"My Mother was strong, made strong by her love. Strong enough to let me go to a better home. Strong enough to hold onto life long enough to say goodbye!" It was time he learned from her strength.

"And once, you were strong enough to make those who took her pay." The other reminded him, sliding into a stalking motion.

Anakin shook his head, keeping his lightsaber on guard and his mind shielded. "No. I was weak enough to lash out. I was a child. It takes strength to grieve."

"It takes a fool, who can't admit when his attachments hold him back." The other leaped, lightsaber colliding with Anakin's and he was suddenly heartily grateful for Obi-Wan's fresh training in the defensive forms. The other leaped forward in an ataru hawk bat swoop. Anakin slid sideways from under it and Force shoved from behind, the other flipped completely around and landed with a niman push and slash. As Anakin riposted, the other used a vornskyr's ferocity attack.

"But your strength in the Force is weak!" The other snarled, lightsaber a flashing blur that took all of Anakin's concentration to counter. The other leaped and Anakin sidestepped aside, blade rising to counter the blow. But the other shifted in midair, deactivated the blade while Anakin was still out of position and hit him with a blast of Force lightning that slammed him into the wall. He gasped, wheezing. Before he could recover the other reactivated the lightsaber inside his defenses and swung it.

The blade slammed into Anakin, but just as Anakin shied aside and the enemy swung, a loud scream rang out and a jet propelled white and silver blur slammed into his foe. Anakin gasped, falling away from the lightsaber. The cut burned like fire and he knew he nearly had been killed or incapacitated. He coughed, wheezing, fighting to breathe past the combined pain of the Force lightning and the shiim saber cuts he'd received. Some would've been incapacitating were his limbs not prosthetics. He scrambled up, fighting past the pain and spun to see the enemy, furious, spinning the sword straight at Artoo.

"Artoo!" He gasped, Force yanking the droid, who couldn't move fast enough to avoid the blow. He propelled the droid to the door. The other sent a blast of Force lightning at the droid and Anakin heard the droid scream as the blue fire writhed whirled around him. Anakin reacted with his blade becoming a flashing barrier which he turned into a shien deflection, a fast weapons deflection ending in a leap. He slammed the blade down hard enough to count as a hawk bat swoop but as his enemy brought his blade up to counter, Anakin hung in mid air, used the momentum to flip over and kick off the wall, whirl sideways and catch the other's swinging blade on his. Anakin gave him a fierce, taunting grin. "You really don't have room to knock me, you know. At least I had a mother, you were just a science experiment!"

Rage broiled from the other. His counterpart gave a fang like grin. "If I had one I would slay them. As you murdered your beloved. Like so..."

Anakin countered the swinging sword and verbal thrust easily, a brief relief hitting him. This amalgam of him and Palpatine didn't know everything. Didn't know Padme lived…suddenly he couldn't breathe, the other had him in a Force choke. Anakin battled for air as the other shook him until his brain seemed to rattle.

"You were relieved….why?" Anakin slammed his shields up, air or no air. He glimpsed Artoo peeking around the corner and suddenly smiled. The other glanced sharply toward Artoo and Anakin grabbed the others lightsaber with the Force and flipped it back up so it sliced his face. The other caught the hilt before it sank in, but he'd lost his grip on Anakin's throat. He collapsed to the ground, barely landing upright. He sucked in deep gasps of air before lunging at the other like a falling avalanche. The other blocked but Anakin grabbed one wrist and put every ounce of his prosthetics power into twisting it. The other snarled, lifting a knee to slam into his stomach. Anakin lunged upward without letting go and they tumbled over each other before getting up. Anakin still refused to let go. Force lightning crackled around the fingertips. Anakin reached into the Force, letting go of everything else, fear and hope, putting every ounce into breaking that wrist.

The other screamed, as the bone started to crack. He slid his lightsaber around on Anakin's, red blade seeking to counter the blue. It crept toward Anakin's hilt but Anakin shifted it back. The other's Force shoved him hard and Anakin slid back, He took advantage of the prosthetic limbs power, ignoring the warning signs that the rest of his body was in danger. He felt the other blast him in hate, they were in a deadlock. One sheer youth and power, the other older, experienced and stubborn as a wild bantha.

The would be Emperor lunged forward and bit him. Anakin jolted free of the bind in shock, gaping at the other. His mouth hung open as he stared, blood on the other's mouth and his own hair in it's teeth. His head's throbbing was suddenly overridden by sharp pain and a wet stream of blood from his head.

"What kind of cheap shot is that?"

"Is it not in a Sith tradition to consume the heart of the foe in ceremony?" It smiled, licked it's lips. "I think I'll consume yours. Right after I have your son's right before your eyes."

Anakin blinked rapidly, raising his lightsaber again and shaking his head in absolute disgust. Somewhere, somewhen, he did know of that tradition. Han had reminded him when he'd asked him about the Rakatan eating their foes. He, however, had never done it, nor witnessed it. Now he realized that Palpatine probably had, that had Anakin not been trapped in the suit as Vader, it would've been demanded. It was one of the few moments he acknowledged that Obi-Wan's crippling of him may have saved him from doing even worse evil.

The other smiled. "Had you not fallen in battle against Kenobi, no doubt you'd have feasted on those younglings you slaughtered."

Anakin felt sick. His anger rose and his sword with it, but he didn't attack. He was battling his own memories. Images of the younglings, "_Master Skywalker, what do we do?_" They had trusted him right before he cut them down. Artoo's warning screech snapped him to the present as the red lightsaber cleaved like a spear for his chest. Anakin leaped over it in a flip, but his enemy hit him with Force lightning and it turned into an uncontrolled tumble. His personal antagonizer spun, grabbed Artoo with the Force and hurled him out the window. Anakin yelled as Artoo screamed. He couldn't see if Artoo got his jets activated, he was too busy crashing head first into the wall, eliciting a further stream of blood from the bite.

"I hope you get a hairball." Anakin staggered up dizzily in determined fury. He fought the urge to take it out on his foe. He had no reason to believe Artoo had not survived the throw. And he would not give this creature more power by calling on the dark side and feeding it's strength.

"Friend of yours?" The enemy asked. The smile was wicked. "Tell me what you love that I can destroy it. What you fear that I may throw you into it. What you hope for that I may teach you despair."

"I don't think so. I think my fears and loves and hopes are all my own. And I will not share them or give them up to you."

"I already know. Destroy those you love and you break. I will feast on your very soul this day."

"Keep dreaming." Anakin countered, refusing to heed the shudder that went through him.

* * *

Ahsoka screamed as her own blade slammed back, slicing her lekku. The scout walker had taken her off guard, rounding the tower to get to entrance. The sheer force of blocking the laser blast had thrown her back. She would've gone down except Luke charged up. They had found another bridge further off and he'd force sprinted to get here in time. He leaped up on the scout walker and tore the pilot out, reflecting the copilot's hand blaster shot back into him. But the battles were taking a heavy toll. Leia and Han were further back but Mara was right behind Luke. She was hesitating, unsure of her beliefs now. She had seen the would be Emperor's face and it did not match the voice.

Leia shot past her, kneeling by Ahsoka. "Are you….Han! Give me your vest!"

"What? Why?"

"Han!"

He tore off his vest rather than argue and threw it to her, gun still drawn and one eye on Mara. Jade was staring up at the tower. "Hey!"

A silver white object crashed out a top floor window and fell amidst a heap of glass and transparisteel. A high pitched wail identified it as Artoo. The droid's jets tried to fire but that didn't help as he was falling dome downward. Leia reached out, focusing on the Force trying to slow the fall. Ahsoka reached out to help, giving the droid a nudge to point him up. Jets pointed in the right direction he rocketed up. They sputtered and he started to fall. Reactivated them and aimed for a rough landing nearby. He let out a shaky whimper. Leia spun back to Ahsoka and wrapped her injured lekku in the vest.

"That is one intense fight." Mara said softly. Her eyes gazed skyward, flickering blue lights, blurs of red and blue sparkled through the window. The dark side of the Force was strong on the whole planet. But up there, it boiled with unmatched ferocity.

"_Mara, I need you, child._" The voice called through the Force.

Mara scowled and darted in.

Leia chased her, Luke leaped down and ran after and Ahsoka finally staggered up and ran in with Han and the pursuing noghri.

"_Help me, child. Prove you are stronger than this used up, worthless traitor_." The voice echoed in the air. Luke yelled as he realized it was influencing her but she was half up the stairs.

Mara leaped for Anakin's back, blade falling from above. Anakin didn't look back, just threw himself backward and rolled so she overbalanced and hit the floor in front of his opponent, who literally climbed over her in pursuit. "Hey!" She leaped upright, charged in again. Anakin again ducked back, making sure the two got in each other's way.

"Who are you? Where's the Emperor?"

"I am the Emperor! Kill Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade! I will deal with Vader!" The voice was the Emperor's voice. But Anakin gave him a Force kick that sent him back. He landed, crouched...and Mara got a good look at the face.

Mara glared sideways. "You aren't Palpatine! I do this for me, and him!"

"You know my voice, child. Appearance does not reveal the being within."

"He's a science experiment!" Anakin countered. "A combination of my DNA and Palpatine's, yanked out a lab so those bickering officers would have someone to follow."

"No!" Mara glared at him. She unexpectedly lunged, trying to break Anakin's defense. Besieged on two sides, Anakin's lightsaber formed a circle of shelter. "Mara! This is Palpatine's legacy! A government built on lies that can't hold up when the lier is gone!"

"It will hold up! I am the legacy! The heir apparent. I am the Emperor. Listen child, the Sith have power to switch bodies, to leap into a new host when dying. It is an ancient power. Prove you can conquer Vader and you will replace him!"

"It is a lost power!" Anakin retorted. "And it required being near the host, not half a galaxy away!"

"It doesn't matter! He gave me everything! He was your master and you betrayed him!" Mara cried.

"I betrayed him? He promised me to power to save the ones I loved, instead he tried to kill them! He promised peace but he was the one behind the war, both of the wars! He promised the justice but twisted it so corruption would flourish."

"I don't believe you!"

"You know the truth. Search your feelings! You had parents, Mara! The Jedi of the old Republic would never have forced them to give you up. They might have asked but never forced! But Palpatine just took you!" Anakin found his back to the wall. The good news was that blocked some of their blows. The bad news was, it blocked his as well. Mara's blade slammed down in frustration, striking the wall as he ducked it – his lightsaber was busy with the other attacker - and sending molten streaks down to scorch him.

"You stole my life! My future!"

"No! He did that! And now you can have it back! Mara! Please, you could be a brilliant Jedi, really serve justice!"

She was wavering. Even as he noticed the other aimed another blast of Force lightning, followed by a force punch that stole his breath. Anakin blocked a blow to his throat but gasped as the other pinched his fist together. He felt his heart stutter as an invisible hand squeezed it. He tried to counter and suddenly collapsed as the other turned to the door. The elevator shot open. He tried to warn Luke, but the Force blast landed on the young man's lightsaber. Anakin leaped up, reached out and slammed the want to be Emperor violently backward.

He glanced at Mara as he re raised his weapon. Her lightsaber was up but she was frowning. "Mara." He pleaded. "He promised me power to save my wife from dying. And do you know what he ordered me to do to get it? Murder younglings. Not just the Jedi warriors or masters or knights. But the younglings barely old enough to walk. And Force forgive me...I did it. Is that a man who was after justice? Is that creature there, a creature he created, after justice?"

Mara stared at him.

Royal guards were battling to the tower. Noghri were tangling with them. They could feel them hot on the trail of Anakin's were trying to get up the elevator. Luke's lightsaber was blocking the attack of the enemy. Ahsoka's lightsaber sang too, shifting to cover the opponents side. Suddenly a door on the other side of the tower opened and the Royal guards charged in. Ahsoka spun, battling the black and red clad guards. The force pike's deflected the lightsaber and threatened to short it. She yelled a warning. "Look out, cortosis on the pikes!"

"What?" Leia yelped. Her training lightsaber shorted at the first blow and she whipped up her blaster. Shooting persistently, She took out one, two, three, managed a Force blow that knocked one back, not killing him, but slamming it into Ahsoka's lightsaber. Luke spun just in time to block the blow of another force pike disengaging as his lightsaber sputtered by a side kick.

Anakin shook his head at Mara. "Don't follow us into the dark, Mara. I'll never wash all the blood off my hands, no matter what I do."

Luke ducked as a force pike fell from above, catching on his blade.

Focused on Mara, he didn't see the enemy spin from his attack on Luke. He saw it coming too late, the red blade slammed to his chest, knocking his own lightsaber back into him. Anakin gasped wheezed and gaped as he realized Mara's blade was the one shoving his own. But only because it was knocked into him by the red lightsaber of his half clone. The three blades sparked so close it scorched his clothes. The enemy glared at her with fury. "You betray me, Jade."

"You aren't my master."

A blast of Force lightning struck and sent her flying, it's fringes caught Anakin too, but he brought his own lightsaber up and slashed the clone through one hand and the lightsaber hilt. The other howled in rage and pain as the hilt exploded in a shower of sparks. His other hand increased the output of lightning. Anakin caught it on the blade. Mara writhed on the floor in pain. Leia shoved a royal guard at the enemy as Artoo and Han, followed by Kabarakh burst in. The noghri leaped for the would be Emperor and landed on his back. The other Force threw him clean into the ceiling so he dropped and lay still in shock. A noghri blade was buried in his back though. A royal guard, slammed Han half down the stairs and Han's blaster kept pumping into the incredibly tough armor until he fell. Ahsoka's lightsaber cut her a path to the enemy and she stood over Mara, giving Anakin time to advance.

The other laughed. "Kill me and reclaim your own, Sith."

Anakin froze, staring back at him. He was knocked flat by a blow from the force pike behind him, Luke leaped to his side and knocked the guard back and Anakin slammed up, lightsaber swinging at the enemy that once more poured force lightning into his friends. His lightsaber slammed home, going up in a diagonal shreik. The other fell, eyes wide with shock and rage. For a few, intense moments the battle fell to guards and the Rebels. Anakin wheezed, swearing silently in agreement with Obi-Wan's diagnosis that they were getting old for this. He felt the other's force energy leap. The body seemed to shrink in but the force signature was still there, energy questing. Anakin focused on the Force, the power of life, the need to stop the Empire. He pressed that light around the other's darkness. Luke had a moment to stagger back, breathing hard and realized what he was doing. Luke slid his eyes half shut and helped hold the other back, the other's body filled again. It battled. But it had only one place to go, with Luke and Anakin blocking it from the dark side. It's own dying form. It had barely shuddered and it's energy faded away and dispersed when Mara leaped up, swinging her lightsaber. They both ducked aside, weapons still active, but her blade cut into the royal guard charging behind them.

_to be continued_


	17. Chapter 17

For a long, shaken moment, no-one moved. Every royal guard lay dead. They all paused, staring at the being behind the chaos.

"That's...creepy." Han said, staring at the body and comparing it to Anakin.

"You think?" Anakin sagged, still grimacing. "I want to go home." Mara turned and stared at him at the blatant admission.

"Is it over? With him dead?" Han was eyeing Mara, hand still on blaster.

Kabarakh eyed her too. "Is this one enemy or ally?"

Anakin cocked a brow at her. "That's up to her."

I think whether it's over depends on whether this guy started it, or if he was just a tool." Ahsoka sighed.

"Someone released him from that lab." Anakin said.

Leia came up alongside and gave him a long, searching look. "Are you all right?"

"I've been better. And worse."

"We need to get out of here." Han said, standing and looking out the window. Artoo beeped a warning. They could hear footsteps on the stairs. The surviving noghri reached them before the footsteps, utterly quiet.

"We must go. There are too many in pursuit." One told Kabarakh, who turned and looked questioningly at the others.

"Chewie." Han called on the comlink. "We need a pickup and fast!"

"Where's Scout?" Ahsoka asked.

"Couldn't get the door open. We promised to go back." Han said regretfully.  
"We certainly will."

The ship did not appear right away. But suddenly it rushed in at high speed, weapons firing on the enemy ships that were zeroing in on them. Then it halted, hovering by the window.

"Everybody back!" Han yelled.

They all dove back as Chewie rammed the front of the ship through the already shattered window. Han led the way but then paused to help Leia and the others in. Mara still stood, frozen. Luke turned back. "Coming?"

"I don't know that I'm ready to join your Rebellion." She said gruffly.

"Are you ready to be imprisoned and interrogated? Because that's probably the only option you'll get from the other guys." Luke pointed out.

Scowling, she hurried to the ship and leaped on the ramp, ignoring his helping hand. Han was the last one up. Chewbacca was in the copilot seat, Ahsoka in the pilot's and Han, trying to scramble forward, had no chance. The ship was twisting and rising in a steep climb, avoiding the ground cannons aimed at them and dodging patrol ships. They gained some distance and headed for the lab, setting down right by the wall. Blaster bolts chased them and sent duracrete, durasteele and glass shattering everywhere. Foul steam and liquid poured out.

"Luke, Leia, can you get Scout? Artoo and I are going to download files." Han and Kabarakh were busy with the ship's guns.

Luke and Leia hurried to the chained woman. Luke's lightsaber sliced through the locks and made short work of her chains. "We're here to help you."

The woman eyed them warily, but her gaze moved passed them to Anakin with fire in her eyes.

"We don't have time to explain, but he came back. He came back to the light and killed the Emperor."

The girl was shifting away when a brief blast of stun light hit her. Luke whirled on Leia.

"There wasn't time." She shrugged apologetically.

He sighed and picked her up, knowing Leia was right.

Anakin meanwhile, called out to Artoo. "Get downloads of any data you can access on Scout. Do you read any other Jedi or viable life in here?

Artoo chirped a negative.

"Set the timer to give us a few minutes and release all the safety locks. Let everything else."

"Ready!" Leia called.

Ahsoka lifted off and Han and Kabarakh opened fire blowing the place up. Hybrid creatures shambled loose from the foul smoke and multi colored explosions.

Up front, Ahoska finally let Han take over and hurried to check on the found Jedi.

Enemy ships and even a giant patrol probot raced to intercept as they headed up. Chewie roared at Han. "I know I know!" Han veered the ship left and right, looping around buildings and through clouds. "We have to hit the cloak when no-one is looking or they'll detect the magnetic signature." Luke leaned forward in the seat behind him. His eyes slid half shut. "How about I say when?"

"I don't have any better ideas." Han's eyes were wide.

Luke breathed deeply, focusing. Han kept dodging blaster bolts, flying an insane course...

"Now."

Chewie hit the cloak and ship vanished into the darkness. Han pointed the ship's nose heavenward and gunned it. He sucked in a breath when they neared the planetary shield. "I'm going to have to pin the tail on one of these freighters."

Han flew right up on it's tail, invisible, squeezing through the gap in the shields. His eyes were wide and so were Chewie's. They were so close they could lean out and touch with hardly room to maneuver. Behind them, the other freighters were being diverted as the whole place went in lock down and the shields locked tight. Flying right above their shuttle, so close they could reach up and touch, TIE fighters whipped past.

They all gasped, and Han was pale and silent as he shot the shuttle toward the surrounding Imperial fleet.

Anakin's eyes were half closed. He was surprised when Ahsoka grabbed his hand firmly. "Hey, Skyguy. Stay with us."

"Working on it." He was very pale and covered in micro cuts and blisters.

"What happened? Before the fight?"

Anakin just shook his head. "Artoo saved me."

"Oh. The...well, we felt it."

"Fire. Smoke. He knew just what would hit me hardest."

"I'm sure the medics can fix you up."

"Right." If they could get that far.

Obi-Wan was staring at the fleet as if in silent communion. Padme had chewed a knuckle until she drew blood, she was so afraid for Anakin and her family. She hated feeling helpless. Lando had grilled Piett on every ship out there. The Admiral peered at Amidala in genuine surprise and sympathy.

"If anyone had told me, that the man I knew as Vader had family that loved him so much, I would not have believed it."

"We love Anakin. Vader is just the shadow that swallowed him whole."

"But you've forgiven him."

She nodded slowly. "He's sorry. Not like someone who just says it to get out of trouble. But someone who act sorry and tries to make things right and take responsibility." She sighed. "And I don't want to lose him again."

Obi-Wan spun, robes swinging. "They're coming."

"Where?" Lando hurried to his side.

"That direction." Obi-Wan pointed. "And hot."

"Great. Under fire? What about the cloak?"

Obi-Wan remained silent. A flurry of movement near the fleet, buzzing around the planet with increased intensity. "Yes. Cloaked now. They haven't been discovered, but it's tight. So much traffic someone could bump into them."

"Can we get in to pick them up?" Padme asked, urgent.

"They'll have to get to us. If they're having a hard time in a shuttle, someone is sure to notice bumping into a ship this size!"

The next few moments were very tense. Padme and Lando...and, for that matter, everyone else, seemed to be staring at Kenobi. His expression was tense, but a smile flickered and he glanced at Padme. "One bit of good news. They're all there. Anakin included."

She smiled in relief.

A small spark some distance away as a TIE fighter, shifting course slightly, bumped into an invisible something.

"Uh oh. Got that hyperspace course plotted? Get ready for a fast landing and exit."

Sure enough the Imperial fleet wondered about a TIE hitting an invisible something. They turned to look, the nearest two star destroyers, angling in, while a whole fleet of TIEs shot ahead.

"Clear the landing bay! They're coming in cloaked!" Obi-Wan's eyes were wide. He could feel them getting closer, closer... "They're in!"

The landing bay confirmed a moment later and the big ship swung around. "We are so out of here!" Lando said, "Take us out as fast as you can!"

They shifted around, compensating for directing the hanger to the shuttle, and the ship picked up speed.

"The TIEs are gaining...what happens if..."

"Should we open fire?" A mon calamari crewman was alarmed.

"If we fire they'll see us." Obi-Wan stated.

"If we don't fire they'll ram us!" Lando blinked.

"Not on purpose..." Padme said.

"I don't think the ship will care if it's on purpose!"

"Oh dear." Threepio chimed in.

The first TIE passed so close it clipped antenna on the hull. The second... "Can't this thing go any faster!" Padme wrung her hands. The ship sped up again, but the TIE was gaining.

"Evasive maneuvers!"

Most of the TIEs were being left as they circled the area. But a TIE Interceptor was getting closer.  
"Hyperdrive ready, course plotted." The navigator called.

"Go!" A slight bump hit them as the ship leaped into hyperspace. They didn't see the TIE slammed back, solar fins spinning away or the other ships turn to investigate. They were already racing starlight.

Anakin had his head buried in his hands when he felt the bump of landing. He glanced at the strapped in Jedi. Slowly he rose and left the ship. Padme flung herself into his arms and he buried his face in her hair.

"You're hurt."

"In every way."

Medics hurried up the ramp and came off carrying the rescued captives. Ahsoka was talking to a medic, who was carefully looking at her injured lekku.

Obi-Wan hurried in, paused to give a long look at the injured Scout and Anakin could feel his shock.

"Well. You never did do things half way."

Anakin hadn't let go of Padme. He shuddered.

"Obi-Wan, he's hurt. I can tell."

"Not as bad as the others."

Obi-Wan's lips were a thin line. "You were tortured. You should be checked out...your head is bleeding."

"What?" Padme pulled free and looked up. "Let me see."

He didn't feel up to arguing.

"Is that a bite mark?" She was incredulous. "I hope it wasn't venomous."  
"I'd call it venomous. It was a clone experiment splicing my DNA with Palpatine's." He let his eyes slide half shut, observing Mara talking to Luke. "In all my years of fighting, I can't off hand ever remember being bitten by a human."

"Let's get you to the med center. You should be right there when the chief medical droid has a moment."

"I want to see it. Your proof." Mara said gruffly.

"I'll be happy to show it to you."  
"I have experience spotting fakes."  
"Good. Then you'll know it isn't faked." Luke replied.

* * *

The medical droid, 21B-C was carefully examining the data Artoo had downloaded and the condition of the patient. Scout was just starting to stir with to consciousness. She jolted upright.

"Stay calm, Esterhazy. You are among friends."

She stared at Obi-Wan then Anakin, nostrils flaring.

"I know what he did. And it can never be undone. But he is seeking to make amends. You are safe."

Ahsoka touched Scout's wrist. "We're making a come back, Scout. You will be all right."

* * *

Anakin went back to his quarters and cleaned up. Nonetheless, he couldn't sleep and felt tears coming to his eyes as he rose and stared at the ceiling.

"Father. We need you in on the command deck." Luke's voice came over the comlink. "We're working on a plan to rescue the noghri."

"Be there in a minute." Anakin replied. He rose from the bunk in the quarters he shared with Luke and Obi-Wan and hurried into the refresher. He sighed as he looked in the mirror and washed his face to clear away the tear marks. He went back out and sat back on the bunk, meditating for a moment. Suddenly Yoda was there, studying him.

Anakin stared at him. "You might've understated what I'd be facing."

"Always in motion is the future and strong is the dark side on Byss."

Anakin blinked back tears again, he'd only just washed them away.

"Let go your personal feelings. Turn outward. Need you others do. To focus on self is the path to selfishness." Anakin glared. "I don't see grief as selfish."

Yoda cocked his head. "In itself, wrong the emotion is not. But focus on them you must not. Help those lost it will not. Distract you from helping others, it may." He softened. "A time and a place there will be, for grief."

Anakin blinked, noting a difference in that. No admonition not to mourn or miss, just put it aside until current crises were dealt with.

"Was Scout the treasure you meant?"

Yoda gave him what might've been a nod.

"I better go." He muttered, retreating from the small and yet gigantic Jedi's spirit.

He hit the command area at a swift walk.

"Where's Obi-Wan?"

"Still in the infirmary, checking on the others." Ahsoka's voice was subdued. Her arms were crossed and her eyes glued to a holographic world floating over the console. Her lekku wore a white bandage.

Anakin refrained from asking how they were. It would take time to discover that.

"Okay." Calrissian said. "This is Honoghr. We're on our way there now. Looks pretty drab." "It was not always so." Kabarakh told him.

Leia frowned. "I can't see us shaking free the resources to protect it…do you have any idea how to do this?" She asked Anakin. He chewed his lip, thinking. It flitted across his mind that it was a relief to have a problem to solve. He dismissed the thought to meditate on later.

Han observed, "How many people can we be talking? Surely not many could survive there!"

"Many of our people are off world, in service to the Empire. We have sent the word out of the betrayal and they will seek to desert. Those who are there, live in this area…the Clean Land."

"Not a big area." Ahsoka noted.

Anakin finally glanced at Leia. "Can you get transports there? Evacuate them?"

Kabarakh looked dismayed. "Abandon our home world? Can it not be saved?"

Anakin reassured him, "The Empire doesn't have resources to blockade it either and there isn't a whole lot left to destroy. If we could evacuate you now and get some samples, get scientists working on it.."

Luke finished, "Then when the Empire leaves, and they will, we'll have a restoration plan in place."

Kabarakh nodded slowly. "Yes. I see." He considered. "What of our dukhas?"

"Your what has?" Han blinked.

"They are our heritage, our history and genealogy. The Empire knows how important they are to us. When we first were approached by the Empire, Lord Vader had all our dukhas brought to the Clean area and so our history was preserved."

"You want us to transport buildings?!" Han gasped.

Chewie rumbled something.

"Chewbacca says family history is very important. It is bad enough to lose one's home world, one should not have to lose that too." Threepio helpfully observed.

"We aren't talking a holo scrap book Chewie!" Han gaped at him. "Buildings? How big?" He turned to the noghri. The noghri thought for a moment and then gave the specifications.

"Well it's not a Coruscant skyscraper, but that's still a good size…and with one per clan…" Lando was shaking his head. "We'll never get enough transports for the people and those too."

Anakin was staring intently at the world. He tapped a holo control and zoomed in, studying features. "This area here might be big enough."

"For what?" Luke asked. He blinked. "You mean…move the dukhas in there?" He asked slowly.

Anakin nodded. "The cliffs would hide them. We know we can't lift them out, not right away. But the Empire doesn't know that. As long as they're out of sight, they won't be targeted."

"We'll need some pretty big lifters. Fast ones too." Lando murmured. "The attack speeders might do it if they're rigged. Take some mighty fine tandem flying to do it though."

"I guess that means calling in the Rogues." Luke said.

Obi-Wan paused outside the door. "How's the plan coming?"

"Well, at least we've got one." Lando observed.

"How is the former prisoner?" Ahsoka asked, troubled.

"Scout is in and out of consciousness. They seem to have experimented on boosting their midichlorian count. As for the other, that one hasn't awakened at all. We are unsure if it's another clone or just a captive."

"Like the way they did on Vjun that drove the populace mad?" Luke asked, wide eyed.

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Scout, she's the one who won the last padawan tournament? The one who everyone said was weak in the Force and would wash out for sure? I recall the Emperor wanted her because she was found studying science. I guess he wanted to break her and use her science abilities. Using her as the object of an experiment was probably a bonus."  
"Ah. Yes." Obi-Wan was amused. "She may not match your Force strength but for sheer stubborn willpower she could probably give you a run for your money."

"I'm going to go see what luck Padme has had getting the fleet on the com." Lando said. "Get our backup to Honoghr."

"I'm with you." Han said, leaving the Force sensitives to discuss their situation.

"Obi-Wan..." Anakin hesitated. "She's been down there suffering since before Endor. Treating the physical effects is one thing..."  
Ahsoka crossed her arms and winced as she brushed the wounded lekku. "He's right. Of course, there are the drugs affects too."

"And Scout was a padawan. I should mention that everyone of the agricorp Jedi was taken to Byss. And they all broke."

"If there was hope for you, there is hope for her."

"Of course."

Anakin wandered to a window as the group broke up. This ship lacked the grand views of a Jedi Cruiser or Star Destroyer. But nonetheless, his old habit of wanting to stare out at the stars would not be denied. He stared out, watching the whirl of hyperspace. If ever there was a physical view of the unifying Force it was there. Stars and planets whizzed past, not just in space, but in a sense, in time. He stood silently, meditating, looking for balance. He got it and lost it as stray thoughts kept demanding attention.

Ahsoka came up alongside, standing silent and sharing the view for a few minutes. Finally she said, "I'm not sure how I feel about any of this. Scout was so determined to be a Jedi. It makes me thing back to when I left."

Anakin didn't turn. "I always wondered if they would've cast you out if you had a different master. They didn't trust me, did that distrust rub off on the view of you?"

"Do you really believe that?"  
"Yes." Anakin considered, for a moment, if he might be paranoid or self centered to think it. Then he shook his head. "If they didn't have confidence in me as a Jedi, how would they have confidence in a student I had taught?"

Ahsoka folded her arms quietly, careful, this time, to avoid her wound. "I agree. They're distrust of you just pushed you away...right to Palpatine. You hadn't done anything to deserve it at the time."

Anakin ran a finger along the window frame. "I hope we can make it right."

_to be continued_


	18. Chapter 18

Ahsoka stood next to Scout's bed. The girl had awoken and gotten so hysterical she had to be sedated and restrained.

"Scout, your safe. It's Ahsoka Tano, remember me?"

"Your Master betrayed us!"

"I know!" Ahsoka said firmly. "But he killed the Emperor and he came back. And hating him won't do anything but trap you in the same darkness he was lost in. You are safe."

"They tortured me. They experimented on me."

"I know." Ahsoka said, sympathetically. "According to the file, they wanted to see if they could permanently increase your Force connection."

Scout blinked. "It worked. I was so scared and sick and mad I nearly smashed the droid with one Force push. But it didn't hold and ….I was feeling weird. My thoughts were slipping all over the place and I couldn't concentrate on one." Her voice was grieved. "They grafted something into me..." the woman pulled her light medical shift up to reveal a scar. "I've been feeling the Force stronger. But it's not consistent. Then for a long time now, they just left me..." Her voice trailed off. "I wonder if that's when the Emperor died."

"Very likely." Ahsoka observed.

"Well. The good news is, we got here first." Lando said, hands on his hips with his cloak spread behind him.

"Now let's hope we're far enough in the lead." Padmé worried.

The comlink chimed. "Starlight Triumph. We have transports here to help as well as two fighter wings and a mon cal cruiser." Bail Organa's voice came over the encrypted channel.  
"Good. We've got a whole civilization to move and not a lot of time."

The noghri had to hear it from Anakin. Leia went with him and with Kabarakh's aid, explained the situation and their plan to the noghri.

"What of our dukhas?"

"Where will we go?"

"We do not accept charity!" One clan matriarch insisted.

Anakin stepped forward. "This is not charity. This is correcting a wrong. I trusted the Emperor and the Emperor abused your trust and mine. Yet the Empire is coming to make an example of you."

"You think this will leave you in debt to us." Leia said, "but in reality, those of us out there, our galactic civilization, is the one indebted. Your people just helped us prevent the rise of a new Emperor. What's more, you didn't deserve to be caught up in this war."  
"Either war." Anakin interjected. "The entire Clone Wars, the war that devastated your environment, was a trick, a manipulation by Palpatine to destroy the Jedi and the Republic from within." His blue eyes swept the crowd. "The Republic and Jedi failed to stop it because we didn't know he was the enemy. Let us help correct that failure. When the Empire has been and gone, the world will remain, waiting for you."  
"But what of our dukhas?"

"We plan to hide them for the moment." Anakin's gaze lifted to the sight of air speeders coming in. "We'll hide them in a canyon where they can't be seen or detected from the air. If we are unable to bring your people back immediately or repair the environmental damage, we can bring them to you. We can't bring them now, there isn't time to get large enough ships here."

"Please." Leia insisted. "We have to hurry. They could be here any time."

The noghri were confused and uncertain. But they agreed. Younglings and the oldest noghri were first to board the transports. The few middle year noghri at home gathered around the dukhas, carefully analyzing and advising the best way to safely move them. Finally it took three speeders with tow cables in a giant makeshift harness flying in tandem to get each one to the canyon.

Luke and Ahsoka were up there with Rogue Squadron. They had just gotten the last dukha stowed, and there were only a few transports left when the Empire showed up. The star destroyer Chimera roared out of hyperspace with three other star destroyers.

Luke and Ahsoka had both taken to X-Wings. Anakin and Leia bolted to the Y-Wings they'd flown down in. Kabarakh joined Leia in hers and another noghri quickly volunteered to join Anakin. The fellow was thrilled to join him, and Anakin winced at his enthusiasm. They lifted off as a pair of TIE fighters streaked through the air toward them.

"TIE bombers, two got through"

Anakin was evading his pursuer, while the noghri blasted away behind him. TIE Fighters, X-Wings, Y-Wings and 2 B-Wings mixed it up between the planet and the capital ships. Anakin felt a thrill of joy. If he had to fight, this was the kind he preferred. No emotional conflicts, no doubts or fears, just flying very fast and with great skill.

The X-Wings formed a corridor, shielding the last transports. The tailing one didn't quite make it, it took a hit and went spinning out of control. The pilot however, recognizing his doom, gave the ship a few nudges in direction. Escape pods launched. One of the Star Destroyers recognized it's danger too late as the transport rammed it, causing it to veer off course and be rocked with explosions.  
"Impressive." Anakin said, wincing at the deaths.

The mon calamari cruiser was taking on the Chimera and Anakin glared at Thrawn's ship. He sent his fighter on a jagged course toward it, through the enemy ships as well as friendly fire. "Get ready to shoot on the way out." He told his gunner who was blasting at a persistent TIE interceptor on their tail.

Eyes narrowing he aimed a proton torpedo spread at the bridge deflector's weak point. It went up with a satisfying explosion of gas and electronic flame, quickly snuffed in the vacuum. But the damage was done. The Chimera was without forward deflectors.

The ship's tractors activated, it picked up the pace of it's weapon fire, aiming along one side of Lando's ship and drawing the defenseless side to replace their shield. Yells came over the com as Anakin snarled, "No, you don't!"

An X-Wing joined him. Ahsoka. The two of them veered in opposite directions, circled and charged in toward the deflectors. Anakin was out of proton torpedoes but his laser and ion cannon were deadly accurate.

"Rebel cruiser, stand down and recall your forces or be destroyed." Pellaon ordered.

"Dream on."

Another three star destroyers shot in system.

"Oh poodoo." Ahsoka snarled.

"Transports are clear." Someone said, countering the negative news.

"I was kind of hoping..." Lando started.

Anakin and Ahsoka didn't need to look at each other. They kept firing, blowing the tractors so the Triumph could pull away and help deal with the other three ships."

"Everyone have functional hyperdrives?" Lando yelled.

Anakin slammed his fighter down, veering up under the destroyer hull and hit the landing bay at full speed. The noghri was taken aback. Whirling through the service bays Anakin wiped out the hanger bay and sent service techs scattering. Then he raced out again. Ahsoka was just racing out of the neighboring ships hanger, leaving it in similar chaos. Finally the two Jedi aces raced for the new ships. Perhaps someone had noticed. They tried to prevent their entrance but failed. Roaring out they found the enemy waiting and probably would've taken them out. But Luke and the Millenium Falcon pounded them out of the way.

The final star destroyer they didn't even try it on, just circled and pounded at the gun emplacements. Finally the two left these to the others and hurried back to where Lando was still going nose to nose with Chimera. It was not going well, being already damaged.

Anakin and Ahsoka sent their ships soaring through the laser blasts and wiped out gun emplacements that couldn't hope to match their speed.

"All craft, prepare for light speed. They may have more coming." Lando called.

Anakin reached out, sensing his wife and Obi-Wan on the ship. "How's your hyperdrive?" He asked.

"Damaged but functional. It's getting passed him that's the problem." The Triumph was backed against the planet's atmosphere and was swarming with enemy fighters.

"Snips, what say we peek in the bridge?"

"On your wing!"

Anakin accelerated toward the ship, fingers on the trigger. But he held fire, held fire, the Chimera's shield was back up but fluctuating. He'd need to aim carefully.

Obi-Wan's voice calmly sounded over the com. "Actually Admiral Thrawn, Captain Pellaon, I believe it's our turn to ask you to surrender."

He heard Pellaon's indignant snort over the com. "You must be joking."  
"Perhaps it's merely Jedi arrogance, Captain." Thrawn replied so they could hear him.

"Or perhaps it's knowing how I deal with people who aggravate me. Just because I tendered my resignation doesn't mean I've lost my will to fight." Anakin said aloud as he whipped around the bridge tower, skidded sideways and opened fire. Pellaeon, with the com still open let out a startled cry of "Vader?" You should know better than to mess with the Jedi, Captain Pelleaon." Ahsoka called, simultaneously, she hit the bridge deflector shield generator with proton torpedoes. Anakin's first shot bounced off shield but the second went through, scorching the bridge viewport. The third shot had it cracking.

"Ahsoka, are you holding a grudge because he made you wear a uniform when you were on his ship way back when?"

"Maybe."  
"Jedi do not hold grudges."

"Oh? And what do you call what your doing?"

"Setting a bad example!"

Anakin slid out of range and a streak of gas blew out of the bridge. It started to tilt and sway as it depressurized. Ahsoka's X-Wing lifted straight up, just missing the billowing plume.

Anakin could sense the chaos, people fleeing the bridge. He identified Thrawn's force signature easily, being the only non human on the bridge. He read a distinct flicker of surprise. They had not discovered his escape.

"Can we capture them?" Someone asked over the com.

Anakin reached into the Force, sensed Obi-Wan and Ahsoka doing the same.

"No time. They have backup coming."

They all took advantage of the chaos they'd caused to leap to hyperspace.

They dropped some of the noghri clans on a safe world, others they took back to the Alliance base. There was plenty of land on the continent for them to share space.

As they left the ship, Padmé clenched Anakin's hand as if she would never let go. "I don't like the tone of his voice when Bail said he needed to meet with us."

Leia crossed her arms, troubled. "I didn't like it either. It felt ominous."

Obi-Wan was in the lead when they met up with Bail on the path into the base. The senator led them into a conference room. They sat but he paced back and forth, hands behind his back. Finally he admitted, "Fey'lya and his ilk have filed charges." He looked at Anakin. "We've forced them to back off for the most part, except..."

"Anakin." Padmé whispered.

He nodded. "They're moving to violate the parole, saying it's clear the Jedi can't control him."  
Padmé's fingers bit into Anakin's hand.

"That's not true. We all agreed. We couldn't have done it without him!"  
Ahsoka leaned forward. "And we proved he was telling the truth!"

Bail nodded. "Fey'lya had gone dormant. He's in disgrace. But his backers are still vocal. They want him on Coruscant to stand trial."

"On trumped up charges with the verdict and sentence pre-decided!" Leia said angrily. Her answer made Bail blink in surprise.

"We can't afford to antagonize them further." Anakin said slowly.

Obi-Wan's hand landed on his shoulder. "We'll go. We'll all go. Together. I have something I need to say to the advisory council."

They all looked at him at this. There was something in his voice and eyes that said he had a plan.

"We'll need a lawyer. At least for advice." Padmé's grip would've made Anakin's hand go numb had it not been a prosthetic.

"Anyone know one we can trust?" Ahsoka asked, doubtful.

Luke's eyes darted from side to side. "Nawara Ven."

They all looked at him.

"Of Rogue Squadron?" Leia asked.

He nodded.

"Would he? Risky career move, either as a lawyer or Alliance pilot."

"I can ask."

"I guess it's him or no-one." Leia said slowly.

"We'd best be on our way then."

"I'll call him enroute." Luke said, but we should meet up with him first.

"You want me to defend..." Nawara's lekku twitched in shock.

"I can't order you. But we'd appreciate the help." Luke said.

"I...guess I should meet with him first."

"Not a problem."

Nawara kept twitching. "I would not do this for just anyone. Not even consider it, Commander."

"I...know. I don't ask lightly."

Their arrival was before the advisory council was to see Anakin was a tense one. It started with military guards trying to take him into custody. It was anything but a good idea. One reached for the lightsaber on his belt only to freeze at the look he gave them. The weapons pointed at him didn't phase him. But he'd been through too much lately to be magnanimous toward this political maneuvering.

"General Kenobi, we've been given orders to take Anakin Skywalker into custody."

"Lest you forget, he is in our custody, General Madine. Mine specifically." Obi-Wan said calmly.

Padmé was on one side, holding Anakin's hand. Ahsoka was on his other and Luke slightly in front. Leia stood on the other side of Padmé.

"General, we have our orders."  
"Anakin is still a Jedi and a member of the Order. If you seek to restore the Republic you'll find a Jedi can only be tried by his peers, only if he is expelled can he be tried by the courts."

Madine was frozen at this, eyes narrowing. "He destroyed the Jedi."  
"And was already tried, convicted and granted parole." Obi-Wan stated flatly. "If you want to revoke that we have a right to challenge your reasons."

Madine sighed in frustration. "General, I'm just following orders."

"A great many atrocities begin that way."

Now Madine frowned. "This is hardly an atrocity. We are only taking him into custody."

"And where do you plan to put him?"

"In the security wing. There will be a meeting tomorrow."

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a sidelong glance. Anakin said nothing, just waited, trusting Obi-Wan's judgement.

"In that case, I'll take him." His voice was flat. "And I will remain with him. He is still in my custody."

"I get the idea you don't trust the Republic, General Kenobi." Madine's gaze swept the group.

"I don't trust politicians. I seem to recall the Jedi being destroyed by such and many honestly believed the lies. I for one will not risk a precedent being set that the Jedi are to be trifled with for someone's political ambition."

"We'll need that lightsaber. It wasn't authorized. And we'll need to debrief all of you."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "A Jedi does not give up his lightsaber to just anyone."

Anakin nodded slightly and handed it to Obi-Wan. Padmé was gripping Anakin's hand tightly. He glanced back at her. "Hey, I'll be all right. I bet I get treated better than I did on the Chimera."

She smiled through tears. "I won't let them get away with this."

Anakin just nodded.

"En route I suggest we talk to you councilor."

Nawara Ven was waiting for them in a room in the security area. "Greetings."

"Thank you for this Nawara."  
"I can't guarantee anything. I need to hear your version of recent events. All of yours, but especially..." He fumbled over what to call him.

"Anakin." Anakin cocked his head at the reaction. The twilek nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Then let us get on with it."

_to be continued_


	19. Chapter 19

_Whoa. Sorry this one took so long. My internet went out!_

* * *

Anakin snorted as soon as they entered the palace. Obi-Wan was alone with him.

"I don't believe this. For Force's sake, Obi-Wan, it's a Sith fortress! Full of Sith writings, secret symbols and glyphs, and they just move in!"

"I don't think redecorating is high on their priority list."

"We aren't just talking questionable taste in colors or styles. We're talking about glorification of the Sith."

"They don't recognize it and I doubt they will understand the significance of the situation."

"If they did they probably would either have shot me a long time ago or they wouldn't arrest me now."  
"We'll deal with it, my friend."

"I know." Obi-Wan nodded, pulling up a chair.

"Are you really staying here all night?"

"Yes." Obi-Wan said flatly. "I don't want them to think they can take control away from the Jedi on this matter."

Anakin heard a noise a few doors down.

"Lord Vader?" The sound was soft.

"Oh. Admiral Piett. I wondered where you went."

The man quietly dared ask, "Do you still believe in them? They seem to be casting you aside now that they don't need you."

"That isn't being done by a majority. Just one powerful...politician. Bureaucrat who seems in the way of his ambitions. And surely you noticed the Empire was rife with them. Unfortunately they flourish in any government."

That night Anakin marveled at the difference. The Imperial palace security wing was not designed for comfort. But Obi-Wan would have none of leaving it as is. He made sure that he was comfortable. Anakin found himself meditating and appreciating that he could. Clearly they didn't know about the ysalamiri, as none were present. Reaching into the Force, he brushed his family's presence. Luke with frustrated intensity. Leia with a surprisingly passionate outrage. Padme with her tears but determined fury. Ahsoka calm, collected, brushing him back questioningly. She was with Padme. As for Obi-Wan, the Jedi gave him a firm, confident nudge in reply. Anakin drifted off to sleep content.

Ahsoka quietly talked to Padme. Before Anakin was brought out the next morning, they had a plan of counter attack that applied on both the political and personal front.

The judicial chamber was the same one that Ahsoka had once been tried in. Mon Mothma was on the podium, but the jury was not made of senators. They were still in transition. This was largely a military type of trial.

The accuser was Fey'lya's second. The councilor was in disgrace. His presence would only lend ammunition to Anakin's supporters. His name was Brientain.

Anakin glanced at Nawara Ven. The twilek had been surprised by his normal demeanor. But he'd quickly proven to be a calm professional. Being willing to deal with the man who had been Darth Vader suggested he certainly wasn't one easily intimidated. As they paused by the entrance, Anakin glanced back at his family. He wasn't cuffed, Obi-Wan was close by and they accepted that assurance. The collision between Jedi and civilian government was already beginning, he thought. It made him uneasy, and not just because of the possible consequence to himself.

"You are concerned for your family." Nawara noted.

"It's kind of ironic. All that time I spent trying to tear them away from the Alliance. Now I don't want to and I'm starting to see fissures."

Nawara nodded slightly. "You have strong allies. That will help."

"I hope so."

The meeting room was unsettling. Dark with the light centered only on the accused, accuser, and judge. Mon Mothma was in charge podium. On one side was the accuser, Breintain on another podium. For the first time, Anakin noticed how the accused was immediately put on a lower level as if to intimidate. It was a subtle suggestion that the prisoner must be guilty to even been there.

There was a jury, they just weren't highlighted. He recognized their Force sense, given how few people knew about him, they had little choice but to bring in those who did.

"It is our contention, that Anakin Skywalker's ability and willingness to go AWOL in spite of his parole suggests that the Jedi are not capable of controlling him and it should therefore be revoked. There is some evidence that Darth Vader has struck fear into several worlds since he was granted it. And since the Empire is clearly aware of him his intel is no longer valid. Therefore any and all special privileges should be revoked and execution or imprisonment should be considered." Breintain stated firmly.

A mild reaction from Anakin supporters at the word 'execution'. Anakin could feel the outrage, all of them, even Leia who once had been ready to advocate for it.

He glanced at Ven whose eyes had narrowed. He would've bet the twilek wore the same expression in the cockpit of a fighter.

Mon Mothma spoke up. Her voice was polite but firm. "How do you answer the charges?"

"We answer not guilty." Nawara replied firmly. "Anakin Skywalker has an alibi for the times in question. Many alibis in fact, from impeccable witnesses. It is our contention that the Empire, on learning that he was with us, sought to discredit him."

"But then you do acknowledge that the Empire knows about him, and they will seek to negate the advantage his intel gives us."

"That we do not deny." Ven's voice was very firm. "However he is still an aid to the Jedi. There are also things that the Empire can not change. Codes hardwired in, entire warehouses and systems whose location and importance cannot be so easily be altered!"

"What of the contention that he violated parole to come to Coruscant."

"The charge is outrageous." His head tails twitched. "He did not come unauthorized. He was authorized by General Kenobi. He did not come until all of the alternatives to encourage investigation into his allegations failed. And his comrades are here and not being charged, on discretion of this council. The fact is, if this council were to charge them, they would cause division and chaos as they are heroes of the Alliance!"

"Those heroes were not on parole." The bothan fired.

The twilek shot him a knowing stare. "This city lies devastated from attack by a Super Star Destroyer buried in this city. A ship he warned us about." He activated a holo file. There are those in this room who questioned Anakin Skywalker thoroughly on this worlds defenses. They referred the matter as is normal, to the bothans to investigate. According to these files the bothans put it on the bottom of the priority list, citing that it was very unlikely to be true given the source and the impossibility of the claim." His gaze scanned the room. "As many lie dead or injured, how many more would there be if that Destroyer had lifted off?"

"How did you get those files?" The bothan was disgruntled and stunned.

"I gave them to them." Bail came foreward into the light.

"You, Bail?" Mon Mothma was taken aback, and judging from the murmuring the others were too.

"I was appalled when I realized such a risk was taken with lives and I didn't dare risk ignoring it. I was determined to know if he told the truth about the Lusankya!"

"Others could've gone. Others did go." The bothan growled. "And during the course of events he was alone for days aboard a Destroyer!"

"He was captured and tortured!"

"Have you any evidence of that?"  
"Both Princess Leia and Ahsoka Tano are eye witnesses." He motioned them forward.

Leia's brown eyes circled the room, eyes meeting Bail's. She cast a defiant stare at Brientain.

"Anakin Skywalker was captured preventing my capture." She said firmly. She crossed her arms. "When we snuck aboard the Chimera we found he was being tortured with sensory overload techniques."

"How were they able to hold him?" The bothan demanded.

"Even Jedi can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers." Ahsoka said firmly. "He was unconscious when brought aboard the Chimera according to their own files."

"And how they captured him is not the primary point. They treated him as an enemy." Leia finished.

Mon Mothma sighed. "As word gets out, we will have the challenge of dealing with public perception on how we handle this."

Ahsoka glanced at Padme, who nodded. They knew she was biased and her words now would probably not have their normal impact.

"I have something to say about that." Ahsoka said firmly.

Mon Mothma gave a nod.

"The Alliance succeeds in large part due to it's diversity. We are stronger and have more potential together. Where one species is weak, another is strong." Ahsoka's legs spread slightly. "When a wookiee tells you he smells fire, unless your sense of smell is stronger, you had best heed him. When a being which sees different spectrums than you warns of danger, you would not just put him off. At least, those of you in the military would not, for you have learned to make use of those strengths. But there is one skill set you don't know how to make use of."

She paused for breath. "The Force is much more than just a sense, but at it's very least, it is that. A warning in times of danger to those who feel it. A Jedi is taught that it is not only are right, but our duty to heed the warning. To protect those who need it. For us, to ignore the danger and walk away without warning is no better than those who would cause the trouble. It's not always easy or straightforward, but we are expected to do our best." Her head cocked slightly, eyes shifting to Anakin.

"Many hate Anakin for becoming Darth Vader and all the tragedy he caused. Yet only a Jedi can destroy a Sith, whether it's the Emperor or the Sith inside him. To be Anakin, to turn away from the man you all call murderer, he has to be a Jedi. And that means when he feels danger to others he doesn't just turn away and let it run them over, whatever the danger to himself!"

"But we cannot trust him with those judgements based on a 'sense' none of us has!" Breintain exclaimed.

"You don't have the vision of a mon calamari, or the sense of smell of a wookiee either." The twilek lawyer said. "And I'd not ask you to fly their specially calibrated cruisers or smell game at a great distance. The fact that we haven't those senses ourselves means we can't trust ourselves to judge him, as we've no basis for comparison. We have no right, by common sense or the laws of the Old Republic that we seek to restore."

The bothan's fur was rippling and the sense was that he'd scored a point. Still there were doubters.

Mon Mothma finally called, "General Kenobi, you've been very silent on this issue. Have you any input?"

Obi-Wan nodded slowly and stepped forward. "I do." He paused. "I agree with Nawara Ven, as well as Ahsoka Tano's assessment. If you wish to cast blame you would need to blame me. I let him go, encouraged him, in fact. But most of all...Anakin is a Jedi. He was never technically expelled from the Order. And we need him."

By now the bothan was almost in a lather. "He killed the Jedi! Massacred them! His actions go far beyond the Order."

"Yes. Nonetheless, he has not been expelled." Kenobi's eyes met the bothan's. "And he will not be. We will stand with him on this." He faced Mon Mothma. "Had you chosen punishment over mercy in hope of his cooperation and accepting his defection in the first place, that would've been different. But you did not. You restored him to our custody. We did what we had to do, as did he, to save lives. If you want to punish him, know that you are punishing him for being a Jedi. Had he done any less than what he did, what would he be but a callous Sith watching death and destruction?"

Mon Mothma looked disturbed by this. "Anakin Skywalker, have you anything to say on your own behalf?"

He looked her in the eye. "I'm grateful for those who stand with me. And I'd do it again in a minute if it would prevent disaster. The Force didn't give me this gift to abuse it as a Sith, but it also didn't give it to ignore. It's there to help, even if at this point I'm left trying to compensate for my own mistakes."

Bail Organa studied the confused jury. In a real sense, they were a jury of his peers, since Anakin had been technically a military officer. In another sense, a Jedi sense, they were not, and they knew it. That was what scared them. But he had one more surprise to spring, an idea concocted by him and Ven after a casual remark by one of the rescued prisoners.

Nawara waited until Obi-Wan escorted Anakin out. Then he turned back to the group. "I have two more witnesses, if you will."

Mon Mothma eyed him. "Who are they?"

"The first, is a citizen. Nen Nelana."

The door opened and an old sullustan female entered in a repulsor chair. She needed a translator.

"Please, tell us what happened to your family right before the invasion."

"The Imperials swept the streets of the 'alien' quarter randomly choosing people and taking them away. My daughter and her mate were taken too." She paused. "Their youngling was left in my care, not for the hours I expected, but for many days. She blinked slowly. "I thought never to see them again. Those taken in such sweeps rarely returned. I dared not go out, the sweeps were increasing. But as the invasion commenced, I received word that they had been rescued. They were very sick and were in quarantine, but would be treated. There is hope that they will soon be well, because the sickness the Imperials brought on them was caught just in time. I am grateful, for a much as I love my family, I am too old for such a youngling. I would thank those who made their rescue possible, who took the time to save them."

"Thank you, Nelana." Nawara said. He waited until she was escorted out by the guards. Facing the group he pointed out, "This virus, this weapon, was only discovered before release due to Anakin Skywalker's actions. Upon coming across this data, seeking to prove the Lusankya existed and must be stopped, he could have decided it was too much, irrelevant to the immediate issue. Too much already, to sabotage a Super Star Destroyer with his handful of allies. But he did not ignore these people's plight. Instead, he and Ahsoka Tano went to investigate! He is directly responsible for saving these people.

Bail glanced around. The tide was turning some, now. Anakin really had set an impossible task and come out ahead. Now for the final strike.

"The last witness, is General Dodonna." Murmurs echoed around the chamber.

The man came in looking a good deal better than when rescued. Cleaned up, fed, medically treated, he was an officer once more, if a very thin one.

"You have been briefed on the situation, General?" Mon Mothma asked slowly.

"I have."

"I have just one question." Nawara said. "As a military officer and one of the Lusankya's prisoners, based on your experiences in both the Clone Wars and ours, what is your educated observation of this?"  
Dodonna was sitting. His eyes grew distant. "I was surprised and saddened to hear that Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Clone Wars, turned into Darth Vader. But in retrospect, perhaps, based on my knowledge of this one, we should all heed such warnings. The Jedi were spread thin and exposed to death and cruelty on a daily basis. They were forced to make the harsh decisions of military tacticians without being prepared. By that I mean, they were trained as, and meant to be, keepers of the peace, not warriors or soldiers. I heard tales of other Jedi falling, even famous ones. Dooku, for instance. Pong Krell for another.

Looked at in that light, I'm less surprised, not because he was evil, for he wasn't. But because we all know, we who fight in wars, that all of us have a break point. A point where we must, absolutely must, be removed because we are burning out and a danger to those around us. It happens to non Jedi. It is no surprise it should happen to Jedi as well. To realize that he was broken before he became the tyrant, explains how he knew so much of breaking others. It explains certain incidents that seemed to trigger a nerve in him.

In the end though, I also look at this with relief and some awe. Breaking happens more often than we like to think. To fall so far and choose to come back, to accept help...that's amazing. It takes a great deal of courage to admit you even need help. Yet if he hadn't, and if he had not sought out the Lusankya to stop it, I know that I and my fellow prisoners would be transferred off onto some other horrible Imperial facility.

It boggles the mind how many Vader hurt, but they are decidedly more obvious than those Anakin Skywalker has saved. How many still live that would have died, had he never been a Jedi? How many still live, now free, on Coruscant?

I believe in the Force. We use it as our rallying cry, then we must not fear to follow where it leads. And I believe it leads us to the fact that the Force is not finished using him to save lives. It would be a terrible waste to kill or imprison him, and very dangerous to try and remove him from the Jedi's company.

The uneasy group waited for a decision. "What if..." Luke murmured. He didn't finish it. What if the leaders refused to accept the Jedi's resistance.

"Your words in there will have shaken them badly, General Kenobi." Nawara finally stated.

"I'm sure. My diplomacy has limits. I am more than pleased to serve but not at the expense of ignoring the Force we serve."

Anakin was silent. Ahsoka was standing, arms crossed, staring out the window. Padme finally rose and went to her side and laid an arm on her shoulder. Ahsoka put an arm around Padme in response and they talked quietly before parting.

Leia had waited at the council door, waiting for Senator Organa.

He finally came out and smiled with relief, hugging her. "We won. It was close but we won. Most of them had no idea that without being officially expelled, the Jedi could legally challenge them on the point. It shook them."

"Good. They needed it."

It wasn't until then that Anakin felt the tension leave. Padme flung arms around him and hugged him. "Let's go home."

"Do you mean back to the base?"

"This is officially the new base."

"I'm definitely not comfortable here."  
"Sith." Her voice was firm. "I don't think they'll take time to redecorate."

"I agree. The Jedi will remain there for now. We aren't ready to reclaim the Temple yet anyway." Kenobi nodded.

"What happened to Mara?" Han asked.

"She left." Luke replied.

"And we just let her go? The Emperor's Hand?" Han was surprised. He looked at Anakin. "She turned you in."

Anakin blinked at his and Padme's entwined hands. "She needs to find her own way."

"She still wants to kill you." Leia said suddenly.

"I know. Or at least, I know she thinks she does. It's just now sinking in that he lied to her. Give her time."

Luke's eyes met his Father's. "So you don't mind I just...let her go?" He was second guessing himself.

Anakin shook his head. "No. Not a bit. What happened to Piett?"

"As long as he cooperates they are willing to give him a shot. We'd barely convinced him the Empire was wrong, but he's not so sure the Republic was right. Rebringing charges on you didn't help matters!" Obi-Wan noted.

"Are we taking Scout?" Ahsoka asked suddenly.

"If she's up to the trip and willing." Obi-Wan nodded.

Scout was a very pale young woman when they found her in the fleet's medical frigate.

Obi-Wan carefully sat next to her, Ahsoka on the other side.

"We are returning to our base. Would you like to come?"

"We're gathering the surviving Jedi. That includes you." Ahsoka said, touching her arm.

Scout looked carefully at Obi-Wan, hand on her ribs where she bore two scars. One was from Vader's lightsaber. "Will he be there?"

Obi-Wan's nodded. "I have to keep an eye on him. But he is no threat now. If anything you might say he's an excellent training assistant. No-one can say he doesn't know what he's talking about when he warns of the danger."

She glanced down. She ran fingers through her short hair. It had been such a mess they'd cut it. It was clean now, and growing back. She kept stroking that one scar. "It didn't take. The implant to boost my midichlorians. I rejected it, without the Sith drugs." She looked unhappy, brow furrowed. "I just wish...I didn't want it coming from the Sith. But I did like being able to feel the Force so much easier."

"No shame in that." Kenobi said. "Why you want it does matter, as long as you reject the price. It is what you do with it that makes a Jedi."

She nodded. "I never finished my training. Never got a chance. But I was proud of being a Jedi padawan. Even when so many thought I'd wash out."

"Hey, I didn't either finish either. But I'm one now." Ahsoka reminded her.

"And we've rediscovered a nice group of Jedi initiates that were lost. Now they are in training. You can come with us, learn new things, and share your experiences.

"I'd like that."

The Jedi returned to their temporarily chosen world.

"Now one thing we have to do. We haven't figured out just what, precisely, to do about that academy site we were looking at. Should we abandon the idea? I'm doubtful given the amount of Sith related artifacts. But it's a shame, given it's already set up as a base and unused. " Obi-Wan mused from his sitting position on the grass.

Anakin lay back on the grass, staring at the stars. "Blow up the crystal."  
"Back to that?"

"Only because I can't imagine a safe way to harness it and throw it into the sun or the center of the plasma giant. Or the nearest black hole."

"Yes. I see your point. It almost acts like a black hole, distorting time like that. And the temple with the statue?"

"Blow it too."

"Are we in a mood to blow things up this evening?"

"Only if Sith is in the title. If we'd been lucky they'd have wiped out that blasted Imperial palace!" He returned to the subject. "Something is off about that statue temple too, even if I can't pinpoint what. Why risk it? I would say find somewhere else, but it would be better to train them to confront the dark side in a controlled setting. And it would give us that."

"Hmm. Speaking of risks, you need to work out with Scout."

Anakin rolled over and stared at him.

"She needs the confidence boost. As do you. Just as you did with me and Leia."

"Is this going to be a regular thing? Every time I run into a Jedi I hurt..."

"I certainly hope so. That means we'll find more!"

Anakin rolled over and stared up at the stars and hoped someday the Jedi would once more outnumber them.

Luke hustled up and sank to the ground next to him. "One of the Rogue pilot's crashed almost on top of that Jedi part of the museum. He's all right, but he's kind of baffled."

"Why?"

Luke's eyes were bright. "He said he found a holo of his father there. Here's a copy." He activated the holo projector. The small device lit with an image of a Jedi, labeled Jedi Nejaa Halcyon and padawan Valin. It was full of static."

Luke pointed to the young boy. "Corran says that's him. He'd seen holos."

Kenobi eyed it skeptically. "I don't recall Nejaa having a padawan."

Anakin was smirking and a snicker escaped him.. Obi-Wan and Luke turned to look.

"What is it?" Luke finally demanded.

"You just found Nejaa's grandson."  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. "Nejaa...did not..."

"Remember when I wouldn't tell you what we talked about?"

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"He told you? He told you he'd...?" Obi-Wan was incredulous.

"Had a wife named...Scerra? Or something like that... and a son named Valin. And the Empire never found them. Oh, and he did know about Padme."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms with a hmmfph. "I had no idea you had a private 'married Jedi' club going." He considered, brows rising. "Were there others?"

"I don't know. But Djinn Altis agreed with us. So it's possible. Even probable."

Luke's eyes were bright. "And they could be a new hope for a Jedi Order."

Obi-Wan stared heavenward. "Now I know how Yoda felt. It's too big a burden."  
"And how I felt, with the whole Chosen One business."  
Obi-Wan just shook his head. "May the Force guide us all."

The End

* * *

Thanks for Reading! :)

Okay, that's all for now. I did start another but I keep getting interrupted and haven't even got the story title down yet. But I'll probably be back as soon as life stops throwing things like malfunctioning internet and such in the way!

And of course...after I catch up on the stories I've missed because I couldn't get online!


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